Menstruation causes many problems for women and girls globally, the severity of the issues varying depending on their individual and social context. The main concerns include access to appropriate toilet facilities at home, school or work, access to proper menstrual hygiene management (MHM) materials and education as well as dealing with the social stigma and taboo surrounding the subject. These shortcomings can lend themselves to a plethora of different problems, including girls ceasing to attend school once they experience menarche. In an attempt to ensure girls do not leave school when they begin menstruating (amongst other concerns), The Government of India released National Guidelines on MHM in 2015. The Guidelines emphasise the importance of educating both boys and girls about MHM in order to eradicate the social stigma and encourage girls to feel more confident in managing their periods within the school environment. To understand the level of education given to schoolboys, and the attitudes towards it, this study consisted of semistructured interviews with teachers from six state schools in Mumbai. Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies (RCUES), Mumbai was associated with the study as knowledge partner, and the interviews at the schools were conducted in collaboration with the RCUES team. Although a local NGO is conducting MHM education and a sanitary pad distribution and disposal scheme for girls, this education is not yet a part of the syllabus, therefore excluding boys and reinforcing the notion that menstruation should not be openly discussed with everyone. All of the teachers interviewed recognised the importance of educating both boys and girls on the different facets of menstruation and MHM and highlighted the barriers as to why it has not yet been included in their school's syllabus.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)