INADEQUATE, and often non-existent, menstrual hygiene in educational institutions is a major reason the girls’ absence in class and a cause of reproductive health issues. The experience of girl students in Dhaka, as New Age reported on August 18, suggests that most schools and colleges do not offer access to clean water and soap. Students say that cleanliness is not a priority and access to menstrual pads is a far cry. A WaterAid report in 2020 said that only 23 per cent of schoolgirls in Bangladesh have access to improved toilets with soap and water and a place to dispose of used menstrual hygiene materials in schools. Students report that they try to avoid using toilets in educational institutions. Such a tendency is risky for women’s reproductive health. Poor menstrual hygiene, as medical experts say, carries the risk of urinary tract and vaginal infection and also increases the risk of cervical cancer. Students’ experiences and concerns of public health experts indicate that the National Menstrual Health Management Policy 2021 remains largely on paper.

School and college administration talk about a lack of financial resources and urge the government for budgetary allocation. Physicians and health experts, however, think that the lack of knowledge of menstrual hygiene among policymakers is a factor more significantly contributing to the case. The 2018 National Hygiene Survey reported that 97 per cent of women had a place to wash and change during periods. However, only 32 per cent had known knew menstruation before they had it and 30 per cent used disposable sanitary napkins. School absenteeism among girls because of lack in proper menstrual hygiene facilities in educational institutions, for three days a month on average, was 40 per cent in 2014, which reduced to 30 per cent for 2.5 days a month on average in 2019. The report suggests an improvement in menstrual hygiene, but students’ experiences warrant a lot more attention to the issue, especially to break the taboo that considers the monthly period cycle an illness. The national policy provided a clear guideline to enhance public knowledge and create affordable access to menstrual pads, but the government struggles to ensure a universal enforcement of the policy.

The government must, therefore, prioritise the implementation of the national menstrual hygiene management policy. It must arrange the required financial and other support so school and college authorities can maintain hygiene and provide free menstrual pads. The education, health, and women and children’s affairs ministries must collaborate and design public campaigns to destigmatise the issue. The private sector should be enabled to bring MHM products to the market that are affordable and easily available all over the country.