Petition In SC: Provide Free Sanitary Pads For Girls In Classes VI-XII

New Delhi: A petition has been moved in Supreme Court seeking direction to governments for providing free sanitary pads to girls studying in Classes VI to XII.

The petition, filed by Jaya Thakur through advocates Varinder Kumar Sharma and Varun Thakur, contends that adolescent females between 11 and 18 years of age, from poor backgrounds, face serious difficulties in maintaining hygiene, reported ANI.

“These are adolescent females who are not equipped with and are also not educated by the parents about menstruation and menstrual hygiene. The deprived economic status and illiteracy leads to prevalence of unhygienic and unhealthy practices which has serious health consequences, increases obstinacy and leads to eventual dropping out from schools,” the petitioner stated.

Hence, the petitioner wants the top court to issue directions to provide separate girls’ toilets and cleaners in all government, aided and residential schools.

The plea also seeks directions to the respondents to provide a three-stage awareness programme – i) spreading of awareness about menstrual health and unboxing the taboos that surround it; ii) providing adequate sanitation facilities and subsidised or free sanitary products to women and young students, especially in disadvantaged areas; iii) ensure an efficient and sanitary manner of menstrual waste disposal.