Menstruation, a most dreaded time of the month for many women and girls. We use markers to make X on our calendars indicating the expected date of arrival. In our preparation, we stock up on sanitary napkins, absorbent underwear or tampons to absorb the blood and keep our dignity intact. It is a good time for us to excuse our overindulgence in chocolates, cookies, cakes or whatever else our sweet tooth desires as period cravings. Pain killers and heat-packs are kept on hand to relieve the discomfort that comes with the bleeding. Menstruation is a natural part of the reproductive cycle; however, it can be an especially difficult time of the month for many females living without access to basic sanitation or having to face societal taboo.
Without access to basic sanitation products, women and girls from all over the world have been forced to become inventive with how their monthly bleedings are dealt with. From dried cow dung to using old rags, banana peels and newspapers, women go to great lengths to make their own sanitary products in countries where they are either not available or are too expensive. These products are sometimes not absorbent enough and leave women/girls susceptible to breakthrough which messes their outer garments. As a result, some females opt to remain guarded from the general public by staying home, thus missing school or work.
Zambian woman shapes dried cow dung which she will wrap in a piece of cloth. She cannot afford sanitary napkins. Photo taken from theguardian.com
Taboo surrounding menstruation exposes women and girls to life threatening danger and stigmatization. In some countries, due to culture and religious practice, period is considered as dirty and impure. Rastafarianism, a religious group with differing practices; some forbid women from entering the kitchen while menstruating due to the belief that a woman’s bleeding will contaminate the food she prepares. Other religions forbid women from offering prayers or touching religious books at that time of the month. Perhaps among the most extreme is CChaupadi which is practiced among Hindu communities in India and Nepal.
Women and girls are isolated from the family home and is expected to live in a separate hut/shack. All interaction with the family and community members are cut-off and girls/women must wear special clothes and eat from special utensils during this time. The clothes and utensils used during mensturation cannot be taken inside the family home.
CChaupadi stems from the belief that menstruation is unclean and will bring bad luck to the family and community. While isolated in huts, the lives of the girls and women are at risk of animal attack and rape.
Fifteen-year-old girl cleans the utensils used while she is on her period. These utensils cannot be taken inside the family home even after menstruation. Image courtesy of UNFPA India.
Lack of education and the shroud of secrecy that menstruation is cloaked in leads to shame, danger and isolation. Stigma around period have affected generations of women who have been left physically and psychologically tarnished by this natural biological phenomenon.
To combat the taboos related to menstruation, awareness must be raised about the female reproductive system. Community based education campaigns to counter misinformation could be helpful in this regard. To maintain the dignity of females, sanitary napkins should be made affordable or free and distributed to areas where access is difficult.
