Menstruation in Sri Lanka25 Sep 2022 Menstruation in Sri Lanka25 Sep 2022 The current issue women are facing By Nethmie Dehigama It is 2022, and by now you would think that the topic of menstruation and reproductive health would be a normal thing. But here we are, where not only is it still a taboo topic to many, but it is also not seriously taken by governments and institutions. One can assume that this is the resulting effects of a lack of sex and reproductive health education – and normalisation of it – within our local school curriculums, but also amongst decision-makers of the nation. Fifty percent of the world’s population is made up of women (3.9 billion of them), and a significant percentage of women menstruate (1.8 billion women, according to UNICEF). Menstruating people are the very reason our populations continue to exist, including the people who should be taking certain decisions to support women. Ironic. I wanted to touch on this topic because a few days ago, I came across an article that stated that female students in Sri Lanka, especially ones from rural areas and low-income areas, are missing school due to the rising costs of and high taxes on sanitary napkins. In a world where we are supposed to keep developing and moving forward, our little island seems to be going backward… and well, the topic remains largely shelved and/or overlooked by politicians and decision-makers of the country. The stigmatisation of this natural, biological process comes from a time when it was not an understood process. Many historic civilisations around the world had their own ways of “dealing” with this “situation.” Some cultures isolate women during this time of the month. There is also the use of unsanitary products such as “rags” which lead to health issues in women. In a 2015 study conducted by UNICEF, 66% of girls did not know they were going to experience a period cycle ever, while 60% of teachers seemed to think of menstruation as something “impure”. Many girls who were interviewed during this survey said they would miss one or two days of school due to their period; 68-81% of these girls said they missed school due to physical pain and discomfort, while 23-40% shared that it was because they were fearful of staining their clothes. More than half of the respondents did not want to or were not allowed to go to school during their period. Now with low accessibility to modern menstrual hygiene products, it seems these girls are back at square one… or worse. Let me also mention another study done by Advocata Institute. The independent policy think tank found that Sri Lanka’s period poverty rate is at 50%. This means that 50% of households with women of menstruating age do not report spending any amount of money on sanitary napkins. Additionally, a study conducted in 2019 in the estate sector to learn more about education about menstrual hygiene found that only 20% of girls learnt about menstruation in schools, while 68.8% of girls learnt about it from their mothers. The problem here is that the study also found that the level of awareness among the mothers was very low and was influenced by cultural norms and myths. These girls (and other women) are impacted by the high prices as they cannot afford what they need. This coupled with the lack of education centred on this topic leads to menstrual poverty. Menstrual hygiene is a basic human right, and it is so terrible that our Sri Lankan girls are going through such a predicament without the majority of the island really understanding the implications of it. If you are reading this, chances are you are a privileged person. As people with some sort of advantage within society, I believe we can push the powers that be to take action towards bettering the status quo. At the same time, I urge you to help less fortunate women in the forms of donation, education, or introducing these girls and women to other menstrual hygiene products like reusable, washable pads and menstrual cups. PHOTOS © FEMINA, ECONOMIC TIMES, KNOW LAW
