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Building aWareness of HuMan
Biology

The counselling programme for young boys and
girls is tailored keeping in mind the curious,
adolescent mind. Gamification is used in the
counselling sessions to create a safe and judgement-
free space for young girls to discuss menstruation
openly. The team believes that a safe familial
and social environment for MHM is possible only
when discussion around menstruation engages all
genders, and especially includes adolescent boys
and adult men.
The MHM team conducts dedicated counselling
sessions that facilitate a dialogue with adolescent
boys (Class 8 upwards) on normalising puberty, male
biology, female biology including menstruation. The
intent is to create an enabling environment within
the family to manage menstruation effectively.
Similar biology lessons have been incorporated
in the women and men counselling sessions to
normalise conversations around puberty and the
biology of human reproduction. blood and women. This helps introduce the topic
of menstruation or periods.
BanisHing MyTHs & TaBoos Such an activity helps break taboos related

The MHM programme relies on gamification to to talking openly about menstruation. It also
break the taboo of discussing menstruation openly opens up conversations that eventually dispel
and to encourage young girls and women to share myths and common misconceptions, such as
their personal experiences. Take for instance, ‘period blood is impure’.
the red-dot activity. This activity is designed for
adolescent girls; participants are given red paint engaging WiTH sCHools
colour and a piece of paper. Participants are asked The Tata Trusts engages with relevant
to make a red colour dot at the centre of the paper stakeholders at the village and district level
and each is asked to rub the folded piece of paper schools, such as teachers, principals, education
together and share what they see or feel like, after officers, etc., and seeks permissions to engage
opening it again. Responses that mention blood are with school-going girls for MHM awareness. With
used to pivot the dialogue towards the connection of these stakeholders’ support, sessions on MHM

safe space

7 A strong sisterhood of 300-strong sakhis (means companion, a term used to denote community
resource persons) drive the MHM programme. These sakhis are entrusted with the task of taking the
menstruation message to village communities, as well as schools. The sakhis also provide women and
adolescent girls with a safe space to share their menstrual journey stories.

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