Gurgaon: The education department has made menstrual hygiene arrangements mandatory in all govt schools in Haryana, directing that girls must have access to sanitary pads, clean toilets, water, soap and privacy. Under the new standard operating procedure (SOP), every school will have to set up a menstrual hygiene management (MHM) corner. However, implementing this may prove a challenge in many schools that already face an acute staff crunch.The department has directed district education officers (DEOs) and district elementary education officers (DEEOs) to ensure that no girl’s attendance, participation in school activities or education is affected by difficulties related to menstruation.A menstrual hygiene management (MHM) corner will also have to be established in every school, which will serve as an emergency facility stocked with sanitary pads, disposable paper bags, soap and hand-washing material, additional clothes where required, and information and awareness material on menstrual hygiene.The SOP makes the school head responsible for checking the corner regularly and restocking supplies, so that it does not become a one-time arrangement.The school principal will assign a woman employee or a “health and wellness ambassador” to oversee the facility and assist students when required. Girls should not have to move around or face embarrassment while seeking sanitary products, and the supplies must be available at a designated place with adequate privacy.The provision of additional clothing is meant to ensure that a girl facing leakage or an unexpected period does not have to leave school or miss classes for want of a change of clothes.Recognising that sanitary products alone are not enough, the SOP requires schools to ensure functional toilets, adequate water, soap and hand-washing facilities, and privacy. School heads will have to inspect these facilities regularly and report any shortcomings in water supply, toilet cleanliness or other arrangements to the block education officer (BEO) and DEO for corrective action. Schools must also ensure that girls can dispose of used pads safely and privately.The department has prescribed weekly awareness activities through Balika Manch, covering menstruation and menstrual hygiene, adolescence, personal hygiene, myths associated with menstruation and related health problems. Boys and girls will both be encouraged to participate, so that misconceptions are addressed and gender-based embarrassment or discrimination is reduced. The aim is to make menstrual health a regular part of school activities rather than a subject raised only when a student faces a problem.The new system will be part of school inspections. DEOs will visit every month and record findings before sending reports to department headquarters. Officials will check the availability of sanitary pads, stock registers and distribution records, the functioning of the MHM corner, dustbins and disposal arrangements, toilets, water facilities and awareness activities. They will also assess whether the arrangements are actually being used and maintained. Any complaint from students about sanitation facilities or menstrual hygiene arrangements will have to be addressed on priority, the SOP states.An education department official said the directions would be implemented in all schools of the district, with regular monitoring. “Students should not have to miss school activities or face inconvenience because of menstruation, and the necessary arrangements will be ensured,” she said.
