Why India’s menstrual health policy should pay more attention to reusable products

Since 2010, India’s health ministry has focused on distributing disposable sanitary pads to girls and women as part of its efforts to improve menstrual health and hygiene. Menstrual health is crucial in ensuring that girls attend school and go on to pursue higher education.

Nearly 15 years since, India’s draft Menstrual Hygiene Policy continues to emphasise distributing subsidised sanitary pads while factoring in the need for environmentally-friendly disposal.

But this approach ignores the potential of reusable cloth pads and menstrual cups – options that are both environmentally friendly and cheaper.

Data shows that cloth is the dominant period product used in India. But that has been changing. According to the fourth National Family Healthy Survey, 2015-’16, more than half the respondents – 57% – used “hygienic products”, which the survey says are locally prepared napkins, sanitary napkins, menstrual cups, or tampons.

Among these respondents, 62% used cloth.

But among young women aged between 15 and 24, 77.6% used a hygienic method, shows the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey, 2019-’21. In this group, sanitary pad use was at 64%. This indicates a rapid transition towards disposable products. This is probably due to increased availability, government schemes and marketing.

Amidst this shift, data on reusables is limited: menstrual cup usage is a mere 0.3% and national data on reusable cloth...

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