Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is a significant issue not only for sexual and reproductive health but also for women’s and girl’s empowerment, gender equality and social justice. Constitution of Nepal 2015, has guaranteed sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls. This can be further realize and ensure providing access to safe, affordable and environment friendly menstrual products to women and girls in Nepal. Recently, through FY2019/20 budget speech announcement Nepal Government have declared to provide sanitary pads to girls in the public schools across the country. This initiation is appreciative and will definitely increase the reach and access of sanitary pads to many school going girls in the rural Nepal.
Almost 80 percentage of women and girls in rural areas of Nepal use a piece of cloths when they menstruate. This practice is being followed from generations and accepted socially. Those pads can be made easily, available anywhere, no need to pay and can be wash and use again for certain time. But it is observe with various adverse implications such as; fear of getting leakage and blood stains, cannot be used for long time, likely to get infections if hygiene is not properly maintained. Therefore, women and girls needs safe and friendly options to enjoy their life normally during period cycle.
In Nepal, some non-governmental organizations, women human rights activists are seen making difference educating on dignified menstruation and personal hygienic, promoting use of environment friendly sanitary pads. Again, switching to such environmental friendly options overnight will not be easy. This again needs mass awareness, access and availability of menstrual product at a minimal cost.
There are various sanitary products available in the market but cloth based reusable sanitary pads are the safest, environment and user friendly options for the women and girls in rural village regarding health, economic, environmental and social benefits.
Sanitary waste disposal has become a huge problem in many developed countries. Each year it is ruining environment and also creating health hazards. Some of the countries government, environmental organization and activist had initiates campaign switching into environment friendly menstrual product and going green.
On an average, a women has her period for three to seven days and the average woman menstruates from 13 until age 51. That means on an average women undergoes some 456 total periods over 38 years, or roughly 2,280 days period equals to 6.25 years of her life. Normally, each day in period 5 sanitary pads are used calculating for lifetime a woman uses approximately 11,400 sanitary pads. A single woman generates up to 125 kg of non-bio-degradable waste through her menstruating years alone. It takes 500 to 800 years to decompose. This means the sanitary pad which I am using today in 2019 will be decomposing in 2519. The waste from such pads is making cities polluted clogging in sewage systems, water and landfills.
The cloth based reusable sanitary pads are bio-degradable environment friendly and can be reused.
It is prepared by fine, soft cotton cloths, well-shaped and stitch properly. It doesn’t look like traditional pads, the bright colors cover set and absorbent liners after unfold appears like a washcloth, which allows women to wash and dry them outside in the sun without causing embarrassment. According to user reviews it gives comforts, easy to carry, need less water to wash, dry quickly and last for years. It has provided confidence to girls and women to perform their daily routine without any hesitations and fear of getting spotted.
The reusable sanitary pads can be available in the market at NRs. 140 to 200 depending on qualities and production across few organizations. A pad can be used for normally 2 to 3 hours during period.
Days for Girls Nepal, a NGO in Nepal provide a set of Days for Girls kits at NRs. 760. A set includes below items;
- 2 Heavy Flow length Days for Girls Shields/Covers
- 8 Heavy Flow Days for Girls Liners
- 2 panties
- 1 small soap
- 1 washcloth
- 1 menstrual chart & pictorial instruction
- 2 gallon-size freezer bags
- 1 Days for Girls Drawstring Bag
It cost cheaper compare to other menstrual commercial products and pads and last normally for more than 2 years depending upon personal use. The skills of making those pads can be learnt by local women and start their own enterprise in village for future consumption making it available locally.
It will open the possibilities of empowering rural women and girls socially and economically. Therefore, these cloth based reusable sanitary pads is appropriate and will have high users’ acceptance in rural settings of Nepal.
Further there is need of a comprehensive research from development and government sectors on use of cloth based reusable sanitary pads which will appreciate above views and statement.
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BSN Team
