- By Aashish Vashistha
- Wed, 13 Nov 2024 02:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it had framed the "Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School-Going Girls," which was approved by the Union Health Ministry. Referring to a Supreme Court order from April 10, 2023, the Centre stated that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had developed the policy addressing menstrual hygiene for female students. The policy was subsequently approved by the minister on November 2, 2024.
This comes after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Congress leader and social activist Jaya Thakur, urging the apex court to direct the Centre and state governments to provide free sanitary pads to female students from Classes 6 to 12 and to ensure the availability of separate female toilet facilities in all government, government-aided, and residential schools.
“This policy aims to mainstream menstrual hygiene within the school system of the government to bolster change in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, among schoolgirls, overcoming the barriers of low awareness that often restrict their freedom, mobility and participation in daily activities," news agency PTI quoted the affidavit, filed in the pending matter.
The Centre stated that the menstrual hygiene policy seeks to challenge harmful social norms, promote safe menstrual hygiene practices, and facilitate environmentally sustainable management of menstrual waste.
The Centre previously informed the apex court that more than 97.5 per cent of schools across the country, including government, state-aided, and private institutions, now provide separate toilet facilities for female students. States and Union Territories like Delhi, Goa, and Puducherry have achieved 100 per cent compliance with these requirements and have fully adhered to previous court orders.
Additionally, the Centre reported that over 16 lakh toilets for boys and 17.5 lakh toilets for girls have been built in more than 10 lakh government schools. In government-aided schools, 2.5 lakh toilets for boys and 2.9 lakh toilets for girls have been constructed.