Importance of Period Education to Women.
Every woman, when she reached puberty, approximately after two years, she enters into a phase where she starts menstruating. Girls reach puberty in the middle of the age of 8 and 13 years old. Almost every girl gets panic when the period hits them for the first time. It happens due to a lack of period education.
In India, there are bunches of myths related to periods in different parts of the country. When a girl faces periods for the first time, her mother imposes certain restrictions and termed the period as a sign of ‘impurity.’ This passes from generation to generation, hence no change in the perspective. Many girls choose to drop out of school due to the embarrassment faced by them during periods. It happens due to a lack of proper education related to periods.
Importance of Period Education to women:
From the above scenarios, we realize that it is essential to provide proper education to women related to the menstruation cycle. Points such as:
- Period products
- Method of disposing of the used sanitary napkin
- Period myths
- Menstrual hygiene
Must be highlighted.
In rural areas, the lack of availability or period products. Women in rural areas use sandbags, dirty clothes, dry leaves, and ashes to avoid period stains. It is the prime reason girls’ dropout rate is more in rural areas than in urban areas. It can be eliminated by proper awareness. And awareness is possible only if girls are educated.
Period Education in School:
Schools play an essential role in educating girls related to periods. Girls get their first period when they are studying in a school. Here, female teachers can educate the female students regarding the Menstruation Cycle, why it occurs, and methods to handle it when it comes. Schools can also arrange seminars and workshops to provide period education to girls.
Adequate awareness related to period products is essential. It will save them from future problems if they continue to use the substitute of sanitary products. Discussing myths related to periods will change the perspective towards the Menstruation Cycle. Teachers can also discuss women’s issues related to periods such as PCOS/PCOD, FGM, and other menstrual disorders. It will help them to take immediate treatment if she finds any symptoms of any such diseases.
Final Thought:
One can only understand the pros and cons of something if they have gained knowledge. Likewise, girls studying in school must provide proper and appropriate education on periods. Period education will save many girls from different types of menstrual disorders and eliminate the myths related to the period. If we initiate instruction from now after 5 to 6 years, the perspective towards periods will change. People will not treat periods as ‘impure’ or ‘dirt’ and help and support women during their periods. Points such as:
- Period products include eliminating dirty clothes, sandbags, leaves, and ashes during periods; and start using Period products like Sanitary Napkin, Tampons, and Menstrual cups.
- Method of disposing of the used sanitary napkin includes using Incinerators to dispose of the used pads in an eco-friendly manner. Not to mix the period waste such as sanitary napkins with other household waste and keeping a separate garbage bin to prevent garbage pickers from hazardous diseases while separating the period waste from other household waste.
- Period Myths
- Maintaining Menstrual Hygiene includes keeping yourself and your intimate part clean during periods to prevent various kinds of infection and irritation.
- Lastly, one should also discuss types of Menstrual Disorders faced by women when they don’t have a safe and healthy period. Teachers must also elaborate on the Symptoms of Menstrual Disorder. If a girl meets any problem related to menstruation, she can take immediate treatment to avoid future problems related to periods.
It should be discussed while providing period education to girls. It will offer a complete pack of information to have a safe and healthy period throughout her life.
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