Bhubaneshwar: Practically 74 per cent of girls surveyed throughout Odisha reported lacking school during menstruation, with absences starting from one to eight days each cycle, based on a study on menstrual well being launched on Thursday.
The evaluation, carried out between April 28 and Might 25 throughout 14 districts for instructional establishments and eight districts for public establishments, highlighted critical gaps in menstrual hygiene administration, sanitation infrastructure, consciousness and institutional help programs.
The survey lined 177 respondents, together with 121 faculties and 56 public establishments from rural and concrete areas in Odisha.
The evaluation was collectively carried out by alliance members together with Aaina, UNICEF, Saukhyam Basis, AL2050, PCI, WaterAid, AIIMS Bhubaneswar and IIT Bhubaneswar amongst others together with native stakeholders and group representatives.
The findings had been launched on the Menstrual Well being and Hygiene Conclave 2026 on the theme “Rising Collectively: Reworking Menstrual Well being as a Basic Proper” organised by the Odisha Menstrual Well being and Hygiene Alliance (OMHH Alliance), led by Aaina in collaboration with UNICEF.
In response to the findings, ache and discomfort had been cited because the main causes for absenteeism amongst girls, adopted by lack of satisfactory services, inadequate privateness and protracted social stigma round menstruation.
The report famous that though 94 per cent of faculties surveyed have separate bathrooms for girls, many establishments nonetheless lack fundamental menstrual hygiene help programs. Availability of water and cleaning soap in washrooms stays inconsistent, affecting hygiene and usefulness.
A significant concern flagged by the study was the absence of protected menstrual waste disposal programs in faculties. Round 56 per cent of faculties both don’t have any disposal facility or depend upon unsafe open disposal strategies, posing environmental and public well being dangers. Solely a restricted quantity of faculties reported having incinerators put in.
The report additionally pointed to insufficient healthcare help mechanisms in instructional establishments. Solely 27 per cent of faculties surveyed have a nurse or well being employee, whereas 44 per cent reported availability of first support kits.
“Restricted entry to healthcare help leaves many adolescent girls with out steerage or fast help during menstrual well being emergencies,” the report acknowledged.
Whereas round 73 per cent of faculties conduct menstrual well being consciousness periods, many girls nonetheless hesitate to overtly talk about menstruation as a result of of prevailing cultural taboos and stigma, it added.
The findings from public establishments had been equally regarding. Practically 73 per cent of public establishments surveyed don’t present sanitary pads for girls workers or guests, whereas over 31 per cent lack any disposal mechanism for menstrual waste.
The evaluation additional highlighted poor accessibility for individuals with disabilities in a number of public establishments.
Respondents burdened the necessity for improved water and sanitation infrastructure, uninterrupted sanitary pad availability, higher disposal programs, common consciousness programmes and stronger institutional help mechanisms.
The report underlined that menstrual well being isn’t solely a well being concern but in addition linked to dignity, training, office inclusion, public well being and gender equality.
It known as for pressing and coordinated motion by authorities departments, instructional establishments, healthcare programs, civil society organisations and communities to create protected, inclusive and supportive environments for girls and girls throughout Odisha.
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