World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2023: Only 77.6% Indian women use hygienic methods of menstrual protection

Every year, 28th May is observed as World Menstrual Hygiene Day to raise and promote awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene. It was first observed in the year 2014 by German-based NGO 'WASH United’.

Theme for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2023

For the past two years, the theme of this day has been ‘Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030’. It aims to have a world by 2030 where no one is stopped from doing anything just because they menstruate.

Importance of menstrual hygiene and awareness

Even though things have changed a lot, there are some women, especially in rural areas, who feel hesitant to talk openly about menstruation. This causes negligence in menstrual hygiene which may lead to infections and health problems.

According to a report by National Family Health Survey released on May 5, 2022, 64.4 per cent Indian women aged 15-24 use sanitary napkins, 49.6 per cent use cloth, 15 per cent use locally prepared napkins and only 0.3 per cent use menstrual cups.

The report also said that despite growth in awareness about menstrual health among women, overall, only 77.6 per cent of women in India use a hygienic method of menstrual protection.

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