Period does not stop during pandemic and not even for those
who are returning home while travelling for over 1,200 kilometres. Women
including teenagers and middle-aged women travelling from Maharashtra to their
village in Uttar Pradesh are no different and hence, facing the same menstrual
cramps, weakness and even at a lack of sanitary pads.
Among thousands of migrant workers, many women are crossing
Indore and other districts in Madhya Pradesh. After photos of their cracked
feet went viral, district administration and social workers have started
offering them food packets and slippers.
However, a pain that cannot be depicted by photographs and
yet faced by every woman is another trouble for women travelling among the
troops.
Handling period pains is not easy for most women even on an
ordinary day. These women are not only fighting the pain but also travelling most
of the day burning up the last inch of strength in their bodies.
“You cannot say and even expect an entire troop to wait for
us, because we are on period,” explained Savita Arya, a woman undergoing extreme
period cramps, shared.
As per National Family Health Survey estimate of the 336
million menstruating women in India about 121 million (roughly 36 percent)
women are using sanitary napkins, locally or commercially produced.
Expecting these women to have access to sanitary napkins is
essential putting on a rosy goggles and refusing to look at the reality. It was
surprising for Meena Hinduja, a social worker, when 17-year-old Praveen whispered
to her if she could give her a sanitary napkins.
This happened on Friday morning, when Meena along with some
other social workers had gone to Bypass road to distribute food and ORS among
migrant workers.
“I was actually pained and happy at the same time, and my
immediate reaction was to reach into my purse and give her my emergency
menstruation kit,” Meena said. She was surprised that the little girl actually
knew about sanitary napkins and could use one.
“I felt ashamed not to have thought of it before, so of
course, the next day, I plan to carry sanitary napkins for as many women as I
can,” Meena said.
Travelling during menstruation without necessary hygiene can
double the risks of infections and infertility, as shared by gynaecologist Dr
Usha Shrivastava.
“Using unclean pads or cloth pieces or other alternatives
can actually lead to fungal infections, reproductive tract infection, urinary
infection and even make a woman vulnerable to infertility,” she said. These
risks are doubled during travelling, as we come across several new infections,
environment and risks in long-distance commute.
“There are still women who are using things like dried
leaves, plastic, cloth and such as a substitute for sanitary napkins and this
is already a major issue in the entire country,” Usha said.
Explaining what hurdles basic menstrual hygiene,
psychiatrist Dr Smita Agrawal said, “In India, it is still more of social
stigma than availability and access to sanitary napkins.” She explained that
many people treat a woman differently and label her as ‘unclean’ if she is
menstruating.
“Menstruation is a natural process, which actually shows the
blessing, i.e. fertility of a woman, but nobody acknowledges that, which
results in even teenagers feeling embarrassed about getting her period,” Smita
said.