NFHS Data Reveals 13% Girls Between 15-24 Years Use Cloth On Period. This Is Why We Need Sanitary Pads To Be Available At Low Cost

By Kinjal Panchal Updated October 14, 2022 11:34 AM

Menstrual hygiene in our country is not taken as seriously as it should be. Period products cost a bomb, and we have no other choice but to buy them because what else will we use instead? But not every woman is as privileged to afford sanitary pads either. Plus, adding to this is the stigma surrounding periods. Women can’t openly talk about the discomfort they feel because menstruation is still considered a hush-hush topic. In many rural areas even today, women use things like leaves and cloth when they are on their period, and this practice is very unhygienic and detrimental to menstrual health as well. But the latest National Family Health Survey has found out that 13 per cent of women in Tamil Nadu use cloth during periods.

As per reports, this report was the fifth edition of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), and it stated that one in every 10 women between the age bracket of 15 to 24 years uses cloth when on their period. And overall 98 per cent of women in the same age group use a hygienic period. product The NFHS considers cloth as a healthy menstrual hygiene practice, but it is really not. Using cloth on their period is neither very convenient nor very safe for young women who are going to school to use.

One of the major reasons why girls drop out of school is that they do not have access to proper menstrual hygiene. Every girl has a different period cycle. How will a girl with a heavy menstrual flow manage with a cloth in school? They should be able to afford a sanitary pad so that they do not have to use cloth.

The survey also shed light on the numbers that indicated a positive connection between the girls getting educated and them actually practising it. Elaborating on the same, the report stated that at least 96.2 per cent of girls who were educated for 5-7 years of education were practising healthy menstrual hygiene. The NFHS also states that 49.6 per cent of women in India use cloth during their period.

Also read: Menstrual Hygiene Day: How To Maintain Period Hygiene And What Are The Dos And Don’ts Of It? Know It All Here

Why are they taught that cloth is a safe period practice? This whole scenario sheds light on the wrong idea that is being taught to young girls about menstruation and period health. Despite the numbers looking good on paper, in reality, knowing so many girls use cloth is a worrying thing. Having access to sanitary pads is one of the basic rights of a girl.