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This view is further supported by Tata Water taboos built around the perceived impurity of
Mission’s baseline studies (see Box 3) conducted menstrual blood; the lack of access to information
in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. In these and support systems for girls and women; low
studies, it was found that most school-going girls availability of and access to safe and affordable
have started using sanitary pads thanks to the menstrual hygiene products; and low access to
free distribution in government schools, while adequate water, sanitation, hygiene and disposal
most tribal women in Rajasthan continue to facilities. Addressing these factors is essential to
use cloth pads. In Gujarat, while 87% of females ensure hygienic management of menstruation.
use cloth pads, 13% (mostly girls) are now using
sanitary pads according to a study conducted i) socio-cultural norm
in 2018-19. In Jharkhand, the reported use of The most pervasive barrier to effective MHM
sanitary pads was lower due to the geographical is the culture of shame and silence that
remoteness of the location. surrounds menstruation. Research on MHM in
These baseline studies also reveal that more India underscores low levels of awareness and
ground needs to be covered in terms of access underlying myths and misconceptions. The social
to right menstruation-related information and taboos that surround menstruation prevent
dispelling myths and stigma associated with open and healthy discussion. Additionally, there
menstruation. Across all geographies, girls are multiple restrictions on food consumption,
and women did not understand the biology religious worship, interactions and mobility that
of menstruation or vaguely connected it to limit the ability of girls and women to practice safe
reproductive health. The finding that none of MHM, and which often expose them to physically
the respondents in these states saw ASHAs and adverse conditions.
AWWs as sources of information on MHM is also These myths and taboos limit women’s ability
a matter of concern. to access, use, change, wash and use MHM products,
specifically cloth, in a hygienic manner. For instance,
bArriers To MHM after girls and women wash their menstrual cloth

In any society or region, it is important to pieces, they dry the cloth pieces in dark rooms or
understand the local knowledge, attitudes and corners instead of in the open sunlight (see Box 4).
practices related to menstruation with regard The use of cloth pads over disposables has
to myths and misconceptions and the access, spawned its own set of misconceptions. Due to the
use and disposal of MHM products. Often, market positioning of commercially sold sanitary
these factors that pose the greatest barriers to pads, many users have been misled to falsely
awareness and adoption of safe MHM practices. believe that using a cloth pad as an absorbent
These socio-cultural challenges include the instead of a sanitary pad is unhygienic. This is

Awareness gap Menstruation myths

 71% of girls in India reported having  In some regions, menstruating females are not
no knowledge of menstruation before allowed to touch infants.
their first period.  In some villages, people believe agricultural land will
lose its fertility if mixed with menstrual blood.
3  50% of schools surveyed in Tata Trusts’ 4  In certain regions, menstruating women are considered
geographies had health educators,
untouchable and barred from public places.
but they were not trained to offer
information on menstrual health. Source: Tata Trusts baseline survey 2018-19

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