Introduction
Imagine having to miss school every month simply because you don’t have access to something as basic as a sanitary pad. This is the harsh reality for over 23 million girls in India who drop out of school each year due to the lack of proper menstrual hygiene facilities. A 2014 Dasra report spotlighted this crisis—period poverty—as not just a health concern, but a barrier to education, gender equality, and national economic growth.
Girls with the potential to lead, innovate, and uplift their communities are held back by outdated norms and insufficient infrastructure. If India is to harness the full power of its youth, it must invest in menstrual hygiene in schools—not just as a health initiative, but as a critical component of education and empowerment.
Understanding Period Poverty
Period poverty goes far beyond the inability to buy sanitary products. It’s a layered issue that includes financial hardship, poor access to clean facilities, and deep-rooted social stigma. In many families, especially in rural areas, talking about menstruation is taboo. Girls are left in the dark, using unsafe alternatives like old rags, newspapers, or even ash—practices that put their health and dignity at risk.
But the damage isn’t just physical. Many girls feel shame, isolation, and anxiety, leading them to withdraw from classes, skip school during their periods, or drop out altogether. Their confidence crumbles, their dreams pause—and their future narrows.
To break this cycle, we must do more than just distribute pads. We need to educate communities, normalize conversations around menstruation, and ensure that every school has the necessary facilities to support girls through this natural phase of life.
Period Poverty in India: A Closer Look
In India, period poverty continues to be an issue that affects millions of adolescent girls. Some of the underlying causes of this issue are:
1. Awareness and Education
The vast majority of girls in India are unaware of menstruation before they experience it for the first time. A study reported that over 50 percent of respondents had no prior information about menstruation. This lack of knowledge leads to numerous misconceptions and inaccurate interpretations of the physical changes in their bodies. Ideally, a mature woman would explain menstruation to her daughter, but many do not due to societal taboos surrounding “women’s issues.” Therefore, there is a pressing need for schools to integrate menstrual hygiene education into life skills courses, enabling girls to better understand and appreciate their bodies.
Also Read: Distributing Free Sanitary Products in Schools: A Step Towards Ending Period Poverty
2. School Absenteeism
WaterAid’s report indicates that one in three girls in northern India misses school during her period. They skip classes due to the unavailability of menstrual products, unhygienic school toilets, or the fear and embarrassment of staining their clothes. Each girl has her own reasons – severe cramps with no clean place to rest, lack of sanitary products, or absence of functional toilets. These repeated absences result in learning gaps that accumulate over time. Without adequate attention and support, many girls become disengaged and eventually drop out of school. To retain girls in classrooms, there must be open discussions about menstruation, affordable menstrual supplies, and improved sanitation infrastructure in schools.
3. Inadequate Facilities
Insufficient school infrastructure remains a significant concern. According to the National Family Health Survey-5, only 48.6% of rural schools have usable toilets for girls.
Without clean and private spaces to change pads or wash up, many girls prefer to stay at home. The situation is even more dire in tribal and remote village areas, where basic infrastructure is severely lacking. For women and girls to manage their menstrual cycles effectively, they need access to essential amenities, including reliable water supply and dedicated washrooms.
Also Read: 10 Ways to Educate Girls About Period Health
Period Poverty in India: Impact on Education
1. Absenteeism
UNESCO statistics reveal a troubling reality: in developing countries, 1 in 10 girls misses school during menstruation, with some eventually dropping out entirely. In India, the situation is particularly concerning – these absences are systematic rather than occasional. Female students miss several days each month, creating patterns that severely affect academic performance and contribute to rising dropout rates. This issue is most prevalent during secondary education, a critical period for ensuring future opportunities. Teachers in rural Maharashtra have noted that they could reliably predict which weeks certain female students would be absent, only for them to return struggling to catch up on missed lessons.
2. Dropout Rates
The psychological impact of period poverty often goes unnoticed in most discussions. In communities where menstruation remains heavily stigmatized, young women experience intense shame that erodes their self-esteem and hampers classroom engagement. Field observations from 2022 documented how this stigma generates profound feelings of isolation and inadequacy, reducing the confidence of otherwise capable students. Educators consistently reported a shift in behavior – previously engaged, vocal students becoming withdrawn during their periods, reluctant to participate in class discussions. One teacher described it as “witnessing vibrant personalities temporarily diminish several days each month.”
3. Psychological Effects
Menstruation continues to be surrounded by stigma and embarrassment, negatively affecting class participation, self-esteem, and emotional well-being. The societal taboos associated with menstruation often lead to feelings of shame and loneliness, reducing girls’ confidence and willingness to take part in school activities.
4. Health Risks
When proper menstrual products are unavailable, girls are forced to use unhygienic materials, putting them at risk of infections and other health complications. These health issues can lead to further absenteeism, intensifying the cycle of educational disruption. The lack of adequate menstrual hygiene management has been linked to various health problems that ultimately affect school attendance, enrolment, and academic performance.
Also Reads: 10 Ways to Educate Girls About Period Health
Efforts to Combat Period Poverty in India
To address the multifaceted challenges of period poverty, several initiatives have been undertaken:
1. Government Policies
Indian government authorities have acknowledged the issue through initiatives such as the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme and Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, aimed at distributing affordable menstrual products and providing adolescent education. However, the effectiveness of implementation varies significantly across regions. Schools in Kerala demonstrate consistent execution of these programs, while institutions just 300 kilometers away in interior Karnataka report never receiving the promised resources. Many remote communities are still waiting for meaningful implementation beyond administrative paperwork.
2. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Fortunately, organizations such as Asan, Goonj, The Ammada Trust, and The WASH Project are addressing these implementation gaps through community-centered approaches. Observations of Asan’s menstrual cup program reveal a comprehensive model worth recognition. Instead of merely distributing products, the program includes educational support, monitoring of health outcomes, and ongoing assistance. Each menstrual cup lasts for approximately ten years, offering both cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability compared to disposable alternatives.
3. Educational Programs
Educational reform is showing promising results. Several states have integrated menstrual health education into standard biology curricula or life skills training. Creative initiatives like The Red Dot Challenge and educational resources such as Menstrupedia help normalize conversations around menstruation using accessible formats, including comics, interactive workshops, and peer education. One school administrator reported a 22% attendance increase following the implementation of these approaches, which present menstrual information in a more approachable and less stigmatizing way for students.
Conclusion
Menstruation should never force girls to miss educational opportunities. Nevertheless, period poverty continues to limit prospects for millions across India. Addressing this complex challenge requires coordinated solutions that incorporate affordable products, improved school facilities, comprehensive education, and stigma-reducing conversations. Through effective collaboration between governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, educational facilities, and community leadership, society can help young women maintain educational continuity, protect their health, and achieve their potential.
Small-scale successes demonstrate this possibility – the challenge now lies in scaling these solutions nationwide. As part of this larger mission, organizations like Varthana continue to support schools in creating inclusive, supportive environments – where every girl can learn with dignity and confidence – by providing financial solutions.
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