Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Indian jails have no menstrual hygiene management in place despite 80 per cent menstruating women lodged in prisons, according to a study. Prisons don’t provide unlimited free sanitary pads or proper waste disposal or any sensitisation programme for menstrual health management either to prisoners to staff, according to a study conducted by CHRI and NGO Boondh.
The study, conducted in 11 prisons, including two each in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, and one in Karnataka, found that as no law stipulates free, unlimited sanitary menstrual products, including disposable pads. Women in these prisons have different levels of access to sanitary pads– 8 from 25.
None of the prisons in seven states reported offering other types of menstrual products, the report by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and Boondh, which works on menstrual literacy, policy, advocacy, programming, activism and sustainable products.
All the prisons get ‘one size’ sanitary pads, the report said, which focused on women prisons and excluded menstruating prisoners who are housed in enclosures in male prisons. It found a lack of data on the amount of water available to women inmates, as many prisons are not measuring the amount of water they have.
“No prison rules contain provisions for providing hot water to women prisoners to manage menstruation. It is provided only when the medical officer recommends it on the grounds of health issues or if requested by the woman prisoner,” the report said. The disposal of menstrual hygiene materials is often overlooked, to the detriment of both women and the facilities, said the report.
Madhurima Dhanuka, Programme Head, Prison Reforms Programme, CHRI, said, “Menstrual hygiene management is an issue less discussed in India, and even lesser in the context of prisons.” “The difficulties of managing one’s period in prison for menstruating prisoners need more attention. From our experience, many issues are faced — from quality and quantity of sanitary products to their proper waste disposal, to managing pain and seeking medical help from specialised doctors — every prison which lodges women inmates needs a closer look,” she said.
Inadequate facilities
22,918 Women prisoners in India – 4.13% of total prison population
Of these, only 16.5% Confined to women’s prisons
Rest of them lodged in women enclosures, demarcated areas inside male prisons
Most women are either 30-50-years-old 50.5% or 18-30 years old (31.3%)
Menstrual products available to prisoners vary from prison to prison
No prison rule has provisions for providing hot water to women prisoners to manage menstruation
NEW DELHI: Indian jails have no menstrual hygiene management in place despite 80 per cent menstruating women lodged in prisons, according to a study. Prisons don’t provide unlimited free sanitary pads or proper waste disposal or any sensitisation programme for menstrual health management either to prisoners to staff, according to a study conducted by CHRI and NGO Boondh.
The study, conducted in 11 prisons, including two each in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, and one in Karnataka, found that as no law stipulates free, unlimited sanitary menstrual products, including disposable pads. Women in these prisons have different levels of access to sanitary pads– 8 from 25.
None of the prisons in seven states reported offering other types of menstrual products, the report by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and Boondh, which works on menstrual literacy, policy, advocacy, programming, activism and sustainable products.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
All the prisons get ‘one size’ sanitary pads, the report said, which focused on women prisons and excluded menstruating prisoners who are housed in enclosures in male prisons. It found a lack of data on the amount of water available to women inmates, as many prisons are not measuring the amount of water they have.
“No prison rules contain provisions for providing hot water to women prisoners to manage menstruation. It is provided only when the medical officer recommends it on the grounds of health issues or if requested by the woman prisoner,” the report said. The disposal of menstrual hygiene materials is often overlooked, to the detriment of both women and the facilities, said the report.
Madhurima Dhanuka, Programme Head, Prison Reforms Programme, CHRI, said, “Menstrual hygiene management is an issue less discussed in India, and even lesser in the context of prisons.” “The difficulties of managing one’s period in prison for menstruating prisoners need more attention. From our experience, many issues are faced — from quality and quantity of sanitary products to their proper waste disposal, to managing pain and seeking medical help from specialised doctors — every prison which lodges women inmates needs a closer look,” she said.
Inadequate facilities
22,918 Women prisoners in India – 4.13% of total prison population
Of these, only 16.5% Confined to women’s prisons
Rest of them lodged in women enclosures, demarcated areas inside male prisons
Most women are either 30-50-years-old 50.5% or 18-30 years old (31.3%)
Menstrual products available to prisoners vary from prison to prison
No prison rule has provisions for providing hot water to women prisoners to manage menstruation
