Dr Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education today informed the Lok Sabha that there is no proposal under consideration in the ministry to ensure menstruation benefit leave in educational institutions. The information was shared by the minister in a written response to a question raised by Congress MP from Thrissur, TN Prathapan regarding menstrual friendly campuses. Sarkar was asked if the government has directed all HEIs to ensure facilities such as hygienic toilets, clean common rooms, affordable sanitary napkin vending machines and sanitary napkin disposal system. In his response, the minister said, “The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that it has developed the ‘Guidelines for Basic facilities and amenities for safe, secure environment for Women and Women Cell (for sensitisation, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal) in HEIs’ which inter alia provides that “The HEIs should ensure easy access to basic sanitation and hygiene facilities for women such as clean, well maintained and fully functioning separate restrooms equipped with 24 hours tap water supply, soap, covered dustbins, sanitary pad disposal bins and vending machines in all its buildings. There should be proper sanitary staff deployed to keep the facilities clean and usable at all times.” Further under initiatives such as ‘Swachh Bharat and Swasth Bharat’, UGC has issued advisory to promote menstrual sanitation and proper disposal of menstrual waste by creating awareness, encouraging every woman to use eco-friendly incinerators and promoting research for a biodegradable alternative. Similarly, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) also issued an advisory on promoting menstrual health of adolescent girls by ensuring availability of quality sanitary napkins through sanitary napkins vending machines and ensuring safe and environment friendly disposal of used sanitary napkin through sanitary napkins incinerators. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also been implementing the scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years as a component of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram since 2011.
