are unaware about menstruation at the time of her first period
Movement
The aim of MHM and PinkFlag Movement is to ensure that girls and women are able to manage their periods safely and in a hygienic manner. There needs to be aware and education about menstrual hygiene and menstruation and also accessibility of safe products, and responsive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.
Availibility of good quality sanitary pads.
Knowledge of the girls and women regarding the pads that they use.
Awareness of the males in the family regarding MHM and in turn awareness of the society regarding long term effects of MHM.
Disposal of the pads safely once they are used.
Empowerment of the women and employment generation for them as they are recruited for sanitary napkin manufacture and sales.
Women and girls are using clean menstrual hygiene management material to absorb or collect blood, that can be changed in privacy as and when necessary for the duration of the menstrual period, using soap and wate for washing the body as required and having access to facilities to dispose of used menstrual management materials.
Menstruation which is the prestigious inaugural ceremony of womanhood is still shrouded by myths & taboos. It has many negative cultural attitudes like, menstruating women and girls are ‘contaminated’, ‘dirty’ and ‘impure’. They are forced into seclusion, their mobility is reduced & they have food restrictions too. Unfortunately, the silence and stigma surrounding menstruation makes solutions for menstrual hygiene management a low priority & often ignored by professionals. The first step is to break this silence. The approach should be holistic to give women and girls the confidence and space to voice their need for improved menstrual hygiene management. “PinkFlag Movement” is a consolidated approach towards Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM).
The PinkFlag Movement is aimed at targeting girls at menarche in the semi- urban and rural areas in order to improve their menarche and make it cleaner, sanitary and more understandable to them. One of the critical aspects of this endeavor is availability of safe and hygienic materials that can be used to capture and absorb menstrual blood. This includes clean cloths and sanitary pads. According to the latest National Family and Health Survey 4, 58 percent of the young Indian women (15-24 years) use a hygienic method i.e. sanitary pads. In 2010 the numbers were 12 percent as noted by the Plan and AC Nielsen study. This means that over the past few years there has been a greater awareness regarding menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Corporates and small manufacturing units have progressed to making sanitary pad affordable and available to women across the country.
Access
Availability
Disposal
Awareness
