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Men as Allies:
Counselling the males of the household
y the time she had her first period, on post-intervention gains suggest that the best
Vishwanath’s wife was already living at her outcome of the MHM programme so far has been
Bin-laws’ house. “Both of us were unaware that women are able to speak to their husbands
of menstruation and thought it was an ailment,” and male relatives openly about menstrual
says Vishwanath, a resident of Nawgoiya village in issues for the first time.
Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. For Mohanlal and Nolakidevi Grasia, a
With the low average age of marriage in tribal couple based in rural Rajasthan, these
rural India, millions of young boys and girls couple counselling sessions proved to be an
find themselves in a marital bond, but unaware eye-opener. “For the first time, I understood the
of menstruation or its biology. Aware of these process of menstruation and the trouble my wife
realities, the Tata Trusts’ MHM programme aims goes through when it occurs,” says Mohanlal,
to involve men equally in its awareness campaigns. who is now on a mission to educate other male
Correct scientific knowledge and know-how on members of his community.
extending the required support needs to be given Given that the decision-making powers
to men, so that they can provide the required often lie with men in many rural and semi-urban
supportive socio-cultural environment for women setups, MHM programmes tend to richly gain
to make informed decisions and manage their from their involvement. Leading a mission similar
menstruation with dignity. to Mohanlal’s, is Arun Mishra, who attended a
Vishwanath’s participation in the programme Tata Trusts MHM counselling session organised
changed his views. He was able to access the right for men in his village, Rampur Paida, in Uttar
information on menstruation and the methods to Pradesh’s Shravasti district. “I was unaware of
handle it hygienically through these interventions. what my wife, Sangeeta, had to go through during
Quick to spring to action, he made his first her periods. The counselling session helped me
purchase of a cloth pad for his wife right after the understand things better,” he says.
session. He says that these sessions have helped The 27-year-old is now a votary of hygienic
him learn about the various products available menstrual practices, sharing poems and write-
and to make the right product choice. “I chose the ups to break the silence surrounding the
cloth pad as it would suit my budget while also subject. “It’s not just a woman’s responsibility
supporting my wife’s health,” he says. to eliminate the stigma around menstruation,”
Couple counselling sessions have proved he insists.
to be an effective route to rope men into the Bhura Ram, a landless labourer from
MHM interventions. This brings women and Mandwara Khalsa of Rajasthan’s Sirohi district
their husbands together, helping them initiate and his wife, are yet another success story of the
conversations on this taboo subject. This is key to MHM couple counselling. Bhura, along with his
helping the women make informed choices with wife Sepi Devi attended the couple counselling
their husbands’ support. sessions, which helped him transform his
Findings from Tata Water Mission’s research views about menstruation. “Earlier I was not
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