My village is very small with population of just 2500 (approximately). Like any other village in India women here also suffers from patriarchy. It manifest in low literacy , low female labor participation and almost no control over any economic resource. These discrimination have become so ingrained that these hardly shake our conscience. I keep trying my best to speak against these or at least keep my inner spirit alive to fight these. I understand that social changes have their own trajectory. But one thing made me really worried which need quick attention and quicker solution. More than 50% of women above 40 have their uterus removed. Every few months I keep hearing more women seeing a gynecologist and consulting for its removal.
When investigated I found that its not a disease these women were getting after 40 , rather its a disease-in-making. It starts with a girl's first menstruation. Use of dirty clothes, newspapers, plastics etc make them very vulnerable to various infections. By the time she has children and reaches 40 it deteriorates to a stage of need for removal of uterus.
Trauma for girls start with their puberty. The taboo around it is so strong that girls hardly talk about it. Our education system also fails her as it don't teach about good hygienic practices to be followed during those 5 days of every month. Even if she learns about sanitary pads from television advertisements availability of these is a luxury and using them is a privilege. In a country with right to food, work ,education and vote we have no right for these girls to use sanitary napkins. When a girl get periods it should be the duty of the family and the society to ensure that she get her basic rights. But I think this is too much to ask right now. We are not even at a stage to discuss about it openly. Various code names are used for referring to it, almost no space is available to dry the used cloth. Women often dump them in dark corners with no sunlight to use in next cycle. All adult males know about it but very few consider it to be worth talking.
This is a serious health and mindset problem which needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Mindset can be changed by talking more about periods in public. Periods should be considered as normal biological cycle- like we have sleeping , breathing cycle etc. Any link to purity-impurity should be curbed. Sanitary napkins should be made available through various government institutions like anganwadi centers, sub-health centers, schools etc. Families should support their ladies in procuring and using them. Males will have to come forward and help break the barrier. Women provide strength to the family and society . Its very important that her own strength and health is maintained.
When investigated I found that its not a disease these women were getting after 40 , rather its a disease-in-making. It starts with a girl's first menstruation. Use of dirty clothes, newspapers, plastics etc make them very vulnerable to various infections. By the time she has children and reaches 40 it deteriorates to a stage of need for removal of uterus.
Trauma for girls start with their puberty. The taboo around it is so strong that girls hardly talk about it. Our education system also fails her as it don't teach about good hygienic practices to be followed during those 5 days of every month. Even if she learns about sanitary pads from television advertisements availability of these is a luxury and using them is a privilege. In a country with right to food, work ,education and vote we have no right for these girls to use sanitary napkins. When a girl get periods it should be the duty of the family and the society to ensure that she get her basic rights. But I think this is too much to ask right now. We are not even at a stage to discuss about it openly. Various code names are used for referring to it, almost no space is available to dry the used cloth. Women often dump them in dark corners with no sunlight to use in next cycle. All adult males know about it but very few consider it to be worth talking.
This is a serious health and mindset problem which needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Mindset can be changed by talking more about periods in public. Periods should be considered as normal biological cycle- like we have sleeping , breathing cycle etc. Any link to purity-impurity should be curbed. Sanitary napkins should be made available through various government institutions like anganwadi centers, sub-health centers, schools etc. Families should support their ladies in procuring and using them. Males will have to come forward and help break the barrier. Women provide strength to the family and society . Its very important that her own strength and health is maintained.
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