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Pinkishe Foundation
12/6/2025
You’re in class. Or maybe at work. Or walking home. Suddenly, you feel it. That unmistakable sensation — your period has arrived.
What’s the first thing you do? Probably rush to the nearest clean toilet, grab a pad or tampon from your bag, maybe whisper to a friend for help, and handle it.
But now — pause.
Imagine this: your period starts. But you don’t have a pad, tampon, or menstrual cup. You ask your mother, and she quietly hands you a piece of cloth — old, frayed, and stained with past use. It smells faintly of detergent, but also something else — time. You hold it, confused. This is it?
You run to find a washroom, and the only option nearby is a public toilet that looks like it hasn’t seen a mop in weeks. Filthy. Dark. The floor wet, the seat broken. You hesitate, then step in — because you have no choice.
Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it?
Now imagine living this nightmare every single month.
That’s the cruel reality for nearly 70% of Indian women.
Period poverty goes far beyond the inability to buy a sanitary pad.
It’s about not having access to basic menstrual hygiene products, clean and safe toilets, proper waste disposal systems, and most importantly, information.
It’s about being told to stay out of the kitchen, away from temples, and inside your room simply because you're menstruating.
And in a country like India, where only 42% of women have access to sanitary pads, period poverty is not a fringe issue. It’s a public health crisis.
In rural South Asia, one-third of girls miss school when on their periods. Some even drop out entirely after menarche — the first time they bleed.
Why?
Because their schools don't have enough toilets.
Because they’re teased or shamed.
Because no one ever told them what periods are — until they experienced it.
One UNICEF-WaterAid report found that most schools didn’t even meet the minimum requirement of one toilet per 25 girls. Add poor sanitation and lack of menstrual products to the mix, and you’ve got the perfect storm that pushes girls out of classrooms and into isolation
In many Indian homes, periods are still a dirty word.
Young girls are not prepared for it because their parents never talk about it. So, when it comes, it comes with shock, fear, shame, and silence.
They’re told not to enter the temple. Not to touch pickle jars. Not to sleep on the same bed as others.
In some communities, menstruating women are made to eat separately or sleep outside the house.
What hurts more is the silence. According to one study, 71% of adolescent girls in India had no idea what menstruation was when they got their first period.
And when no one talks, no one acts.
Because of this silence, millions suffer.
Sanitary pads aren't a luxury — but in India, they feel like one.
In 2018, India scrapped the 12% tax on sanitary products after massive public outcry. A great step, yes. But removing tax doesn’t remove the cost.
Pads still cost ₹30–₹50 per pack, with an average woman needing at least ₹300 worth of menstrual products every month. Now imagine a family struggling to put food on the table — do they buy dal and rice, or pads?
It’s a heartbreaking choice that too many families are forced to make.
And so, women and girls use what they can — old rags, husk, ash, dried leaves, even mud or newspaper.
Dangerous? Yes. But it's either that or nothing.
Menstrual hygiene isn’t just about cleanliness — it’s about health, safety, and dignity.
A 2014 Dasra report revealed that 23 million girls drop out of school in India each year due to a lack of proper menstrual hygiene infrastructure.
Those who continue to bleed in silence often face urinary tract infections, reproductive tract infections, and even infertility — all because of preventable causes like reusing dirty cloths and lack of access to clean water.
In rural areas, the situation is even grimmer. Toilets are scarce. Awareness is minimal. And menstrual health barely exists as a concept, let alone a priority.
A 2014 UNICEF study found that:
…were unaware of how to maintain menstrual hygiene.
This lack of awareness isn’t just among girls. Even community health workers, teachers, and local leaders are often unequipped or too uncomfortable to talk about it.
We can't expect change when those responsible for guiding others are themselves kept in the dark.
In India’s rural corners, healthcare itself is a luxury. Women must often travel miles to access even the most basic treatment — let alone care for menstrual issues.
So, when girls face severe cramps, excessive bleeding, or chronic conditions like PCOD, PCOS, or PMDD, they’re either ignored or left to treat themselves with local remedies — many of which may do more harm than good.
Worse, many women are too embarrassed or ashamed to speak up about what they're going through.
This silence is not just emotional. It's medical. It's fatal.
Period poverty doesn’t just affect women. It affects communities, education, workforce participation, and public health.
And so, solutions must be inclusive. Not just pink-coloured campaigns for girls, but open conversations in schools, homes, and public spaces — involving boys, men, elders, leaders, and policy makers.
Start with open conversations in schools, homes, and public campaigns. Menstrual education should be part of every school curriculum — not a one-time workshop, but a continued discussion for all genders.
Free or subsidised distribution of menstrual products in schools, anganwadis, and public health centres must be made routine — not just promised.
Every school must have clean, safe, private toilets with water, disposal bins, and sanitary products. Hygiene is not a luxury.
From temples to tea stalls, we need to dismantle the taboos that shame girls into silence.
Community leaders, NGOs, and even youth volunteers can be trained to educate others. When real people lead the change, real change happens.
1.What is period poverty?
It refers to the struggle to afford menstrual products and access safe toilets, water, and education related to menstruation.
2.Why is it such a big issue in India?
Due to poverty, poor infrastructure, cultural taboos, and lack of education, millions face period poverty in India.
3.How does it affect girls’ education?
Many girls miss school or drop out due to shame, pain, and lack of sanitary facilities.
4.What are the health risks?
Poor menstrual hygiene can lead to infections, reproductive issues, and long-term health problems.
5.How can we fix this?
Through education, affordable product access, better toilets, and eliminating stigma — together.
6.What’s being done?
Policies like tax removal and free pad distribution have begun, but implementation and awareness remain key.
7.How can I help?
Donate to NGOs, talk about menstruation openly, educate someone, or even just listen without judgement.
Period poverty is not a new issue — but our silence around it is old and deafening.
Giving pads is not enough. Talking about menstruation in hushed tones is not enough. We need to listen, educate, support, and stand up — for every girl who hides in the bathroom, every mother who tears an old sari to make a pad, and every woman who suffers in silence.
Because menstrual dignity is a right, not a privilege.
Do you want to know more about how to support girls through their early periods and ensure they have access to the resources they need? Join Pinkishe Foundation's mission to spread awareness and improve menstrual health for young girls across India. Your support can make a huge difference!
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