Page 12 - CleanIndiaJournal June Digital Issue

News Track

Centre asked to form model for

school menstrual hygiene

The Supreme Court will monitor progress

he Supreme Court of Health Mission. In an affidavit filed before
India has asked the central The bench said, “All states and the top court, the union health
government to formulate a UTs are directed to notify the ministry said: “It is submitted that
Tnational model for all states appropriate ratio of girls’ toilets public health is a state subject and
and Union Territories for managing for residential and non-residential the responsibility of providing
menstrual hygiene for girls in schools in their respective healthcare services is that of
schools. The apex court termed the territories.” It further directed respective state governments.
issue as of “immense importance” all the states and UTs to make The Central government and its
and urged the government to provision for ensuring availability agencies are not the implementing
prepare Standard Operating of quality low-cost sanitary pads bodies for schemes relating to
Procedures (SOPs). and vending machines in schools. menstrual health; and it is in fact
The SC bench appointed the the states and their agencies which
“All states and UTs are further
secretary of the Ministry of Health directed to ensure that disposal are at the forefront of enforcement
and Family Welfare as the nodal mechanisms are available for of the policies.
officer to coordinate with the states schools/school complexes having
and UTs and collect relevant data girls’ enrolment in upper-primary/ The above stipulations of the
for formulating a national policy. Supreme Court on menstrual
“At the present stage, we are of the secondary/higher secondary classes hygiene management equally apply
considered view that Centre should for safe disposal of sanitary pads”, to religious institution-run schools
engage with all the stakeholders it said. which reportedly have 25% share
for implementation of the Uniform The bench directed the federal of all educational institutions in
National Policy with a leeway for government to file an updated status India. Therefore, the number of
the states and UTs to modify the report by July end. girl students in these schools must
scheme as per their local needs”, The central government said be quite high. As most schools
the Bench said. though there are several guidelines nowadays are co-educational, the
It directed all the states and UTs and schemes of different ministries authorities of such schools need
to submit their menstrual hygiene dedicated to improve access to to be very sensitive to the related
management strategies and plans menstrual hygiene for young and needs of girl students i.e. separate
which are being executed either adolescent girls, the responsibility girls’ toilets with all facilities,
with the help of federal government of providing these services lies with namely soap, running water,
funds or their own, to the Mission the respective state governments as sanitary pad vending machines and
Steering Group of the National public health is a state subject. safe disposal of sanitary pads.

JUNE 2023•Clean India Journal
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