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Menstrual Hygiene

Facilities still inadequate at schools

Staff Correspondent
Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in women's empowerment, a large segment of girl students in the country still remain absent from classes during menstruation due to inadequate hygiene facilities at their educational institutions, a study has found.
As a result of that, students often lag behind in academic activities, while
many of them are deprived of stipend because of the low attendance.
Besides, those who manage to be regular amid the lack of facilities face hurdles in maintaining their menstrual hygiene, and many of them eventually suffer from illness, according to the study.
Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS) - an organisation working for women's rights — conducted the study between September 2018 and February 2019, surveying 28 schools and 11 madrasas in seven districts including Dhaka.
It interviewed 924 students [536
girls and 388 boys] as part of the study, findings of which were unveiled at a roundtable held at The Daily Star Centre yesterday.
The survey found that none of the madrasas and only one-third of the schools had sanitary napkins for female students.
Although most of the institutions had separate toilets for girls, the number of toilets was inadequate. In addition, none of the institutions had sufficient arrangement for soap at the restrooms, it found.
The study found more than 14 and 12 percent of them - respectively in the madrasas and schools - always remain absent from classes during menstruation because of the inadequate facilities.
Besides, over 57 percent female students in madrasas and 25 percent in schools sometimes skip classes for the same reason.
The study also found that most teachers at the institutions do not deliver proper lectures on the textbook chapters about sexual and reproductive health, due to uneasiness and social taboo.
A big fraction of the girls use cloth instead of sanitary napkins during menstruation. But social taboo on menstruation is so strong that none of them dare dry the clothes in direct sunlight at open space, which is a must, the report said.
To overcome the situation, the study suggested that the government ensure that all educational institutions in the country must provide proper toilet facilities for female students.
It also recommended authorities to distribute sanitary napkins to the institutions, so that students can avail those free of cost.
Speakers at the roundtable urged the government to increase budgetary allocation for sexual and reproductive health of adolescents.
Reviewing the study findings, Rokeya Kabir, executive director of BNPS, said the government cannot escape responsibility of such basic need of women, and it should increase budget in this sector.
"Bangladesh has made huge progress in many aspects. Despite that, why do girls have to remain absent from class due to lack of toilet and napkin facilities?" the noted rights activists added.
Addressing the discussion as chief guest, Kazi Mustafa Sarwar, director general at the Directorate General of Family Planning, said ensuring menstrual hygiene is not only a matter of cleanliness, it is also an issue for the overall health of women.
He said the government has almost no budget shortage right now, while foreign funds are available enough as well. Therefore, it is possible to increase the budgetary allocation for this sector.