Spotlight on period poverty in India

Period poverty is when access to sanitary protection just simply isn’t available, usually due to the associated cost, but there are also many other barriers. In 2020 women and girls in India experienced a shortage in supply as manufacturers turned their attention to producing face masks and for a time sanitary products were not on the Government essentials list during lockdown, shops remained closed and public transport reduced. The aftermath of this was not only issues with supply, increased costs, but the risk of associated health issues after seeking alternative methods of sanitary protection.

Period poverty in India

• Just 36% of India's 355 million menstruating female population use sanitary towels for protection
• An estimated 70 percent of all reproductive health issues are caused by poor menstrual hygiene
• 1 in 10 girls below the age of 21 in India cannot afford sanitary products and use unhygienic substitutes.

Period poverty and street children

Reports tell us that 20-30% of street children in urban areas are female, often the only access to toilet facilities requires payment, adding to the financial burden for street connected girls.

Period poverty and covid 19

Covid related disruption led to women and girls resorting to the use of homemade alternatives including rags or cloth, toilet paper, newspaper, socks, cardboard, leaves and even mud, risking infection, for some street children however this was the norm even before the pandemic.
Social distancing and fear of contracting Covid also presented the challenge of using communal toilets.

11-year old Sahana lives with her family in a small dwelling in one of Delhi’s most highly populated and congested slums. Life in this overcrowded slum is unimaginably challenging - there is just one toilet in the whole of the area, which since the outbreak of coronavirus, the family have been too scared to use.

Girls have found themselves using sanitary products for longer than recommended, again increasing the likelihood of infection which will often require medical support.

“During the time of this crisis, girls and their mothers have shared that they do not have any material to use during their period. The girls used to get old cotton clothes from where they used to work, but right now, they do not have anything that they can use during their period.” Pooja - SURE Project Coordinator, CHETNA

Period poverty and education

23 million girls in India drop out of school each year when they begin their period, those who remain in school might miss up to 5 days of school each month during their period.

Schools have been known to distribute sanitary protection and offer the use of toilets, however schools have been closed during the pandemic (currently they are closed again in Delhi), and of course are closed during school holidays.

Period poverty – how can you help?

The average cost associated with menstrual products in India which a female might need per month is 300 rupees or $4.20 per month. The average earnings of a daily wage worker is $1.90 so we can see the incredibly difficult decision faced by street connected families who have to prioritise feeding the family, not to mention those street children without a source of income.

In 2020, Toybox issued 200 Period Packs as part of our emergency response work, this is something we would like to continue to do with your support.
We would like to see street connected girls continue with education programs, be protected from associated health risks and access much needed sanitary products without stigma or embarrassment.

You can purchase a Period Pack containing sanitary products and a mini hygiene kit for a street child today

#PeriodPovertyAwarenessWeek
#MenstrualHygieneDay

Challenge House, Sherwood Dr, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6DP

Toybox started working in Guatemala City in 1992, and is still there today, working with children who have been plunged into the chaos of living or working on the streets. From working in one country, with one partner, the organisation is working in seven countries with eight partners.
The charity is committed to ending the global injustice of children living and working on the city streets. It helps children marginalised and abused by those who should protect them and works with local organisations who are best placed to help find the most appropriate ways to prevent and help children escape from a life on the streets. Toybox works in El Salvador, Bolivia, Guatemala, India, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Kenya.

Give the gift of a period pack today for £3: https://toybox.org.uk/support/gifts

This release was published on openPR.