Government schools in Gujarat will provide free sanitary napkins every months to a million girl students studying from Classes 6 to 12 under a state government initiative aimed at improving menstrual hygiene and school attendance, the government said on Monday.
The Gujarat Education Department approved ₹46.68 crore for the programme, it said in a statement. Under the scheme, ₹360 will be provided to each girl student annually and oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins worth ₹30 per month will be distributed to eligible students through their schools.
The initiative has been launched under the guidance of chief minister Bhupendra Patel and the leadership of education minister Pradyuman Vaja and minister of state for education Rivaba Jadeja, the statement said.
The department has directed every school to appoint a woman nodal teacher to oversee distribution and help girls discuss concerns related to menstruation. The teacher will also provide information on personal hygiene and menstruation to address misconceptions and improve awareness among students.
Schools have been directed to dispose of used sanitary napkins in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
{{/usCountry}}Schools have been directed to dispose of used sanitary napkins in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
{{/usCountry}}Used pads must be wrapped in paper, kept separate from wet and dry waste and handed over to the local waste collection system, the statement said. Schools have also been instructed to ensure that sanitary pad incinerators are functional and serviced at regular intervals.
Also Read:Why menstrual health remains a silent crisis in villages
The department said the programme is aimed at reducing absenteeism among girls during menstruation, particularly in rural and remote areas, and improving their retention in school. The use of oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins is also intended to reduce the environmental impact of sanitary waste, while free distribution will reduce the cost burden on families.
The initiative comes after the state government launched the ‘Samras Vidya Setu’ campaign on July 22 to bring more than 80,000 school dropouts back into classrooms.
Launching the campaign in Ahmedabad, CM Patel had said that Gujarat’s dropout rate had fallen to 2% and set a goal of “Zero Dropout”. The government plans to re-enrol the identified children in age-appropriate classes from Class 1 to 12 and provide bridge courses and academic support to help return to mainstream education.