SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, May 28: World Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated worldwide every year on May 28 to create and spread awareness about menstruation, provide safe and hygienic practices to girls, and burst the bubble of taboo.
Keeping in mind the importance of awareness regarding the issue, the Jharkhand School Education and Literacy department plans to provide books in the libraries that will explain in detail the steps to be taken to maintain hygiene during menstruation and the overall menstrual cycle.
State education Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sharma said, “We will be bringing around five books for each girl’s school that will explain all the do’s and don’ts in detail. We aim to provide them with all the information regarding this, to spread awareness in this matter.”
He further added, “We have also built nursing rooms in some schools with the help of UNICEF where girls can go during their periods to either rest or for medication for the cramps.”
“We also want to spread awareness of the changes that a woman’s body changes during the cycle and how to adjust to it and are aiming at reaching each and every citizen including men, women, girls and boys and target a behavioural change towards menstruation,” the state education secretary said.
Talking about the work done by the government in this regard, state education Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sharma said, “The department has done a lot of work to spread awareness regarding menstrual hygiene in Kasturba Gandhi Girls’ schools. We also distribute sanitary napkins regularly. However, they are provided by the health department, and distributed throughout the health department itself.”
On being asked when the books will be available in the schools, he said, “These are not session books, however, we provide library books every year to schools. We have hence decided to provide five books to each school for awareness in this regard. The books have already been sent for printing and will soon be provided in schools all over the state.”
