THE PROBLEM
There are over 355 million menstruating women and girls in India, but millions of women across the country still face significant barriers to a safe, comfortable and dignified menstrual experience. In rural areas, many women and girls are isolated from the family during menstruation. Women sleep on the floor and girls are unable to attend school. They are taught that menstruation makes them unclean. The stigma around the issue results in unhygienic practices becoming common, contributing to the prevalence of Gynecological issues such as Leucorrhoea. JJVS conducted a study in 2016 following 261 women from 30 villages in Udaipur, including 126 adolescents and 135 working women. The study revealed that the biggest health-based struggle facing women and girls in the Udaipur area was menstrual health and hygiene.
This led JJVS to establish its female health project.
FEMALE HEALTH PROJECT – OBJECTIVE
JJVS’ female health project works to improve the menstrual health management of women and girls through education and awareness with the help of traditional female healers, the support of local women, the confrontation of ingrained social taboos and the manufacture and distribution of low cost sanitary pads.
In addition, JJVS strives to involve existing female traditional healers and empower them to become change makers with regards to menstrual health and to tackle misconceptions and social taboos surrounding the topic. JJVS also works to manufacture and distribute sanitary pads at a local level, creating a distribution network and providing livelihood opportunities to local women.
Target Population – JJVS’ work target 5021 Households in Southern Rajasthan surrounding Udaipur with a total female target population of 11,339.
FEMALE HEALTH PROJECT – ELEMENTS
Community awareness and Education – Organizing education camps at the village level and schools to start breaking the silence around the issue of menstruation, to dispel myths and inform women and girls about the biological reality of menstruation.
Guni training
Female Gunis (Traditional Healers) are trusted within these communities and so are a good way to reach out to women. JJVS organizes training camps, where female Gunis are educated by a Gynaecologist about menstrual health and hygiene and taught how to raise awareness within their community.
Health Camps
JJVS organizes health camps where female Gunis and JJVS doctors treat common gynaecological and menstrual health problems – as well as distribute medicine.
Manufacture and Distribution of Pads
JJVS has installed a sanitary pad making machine at its project area in Vali, targeting 50,000 pads per month of production. Female Gunis are employed in the manufacture and distribution of pads. Each is given 500 pads every month to sell at reduced rates, increasing access to sanitary pads across the target area while also supplementing the income of Female Gunis. Pads are also distributed at JJVS educational events and through existing village networks.