Development Communication and Awareness Levels: A Case Study of Alternative Menstrual Hygiene Products

Menstrual cup is an alternative to sanitary pads, which has received attention in relatively small-scale studies in high income, and low- and middle-income countries, particularly among schoolgirls. Made of high-grade medical grade silicone (biodegradable), menstrual cups have the advantage of reuse, and can potentially last up to 10 years. Menstrual cups have been available for decades, but its use in India is limited because of lack of awareness and popularity of sanitary pads. These cups are environment friendly because it is reusable and reduces solid waste. The need of the hour is education, awareness, and availability of the eco-friendly practices when it comes to managing menstrual waste effectively. This aspect deters many from making a ‘green switch’ to menstrual cups. All students who participated in this study used sanitary pads, owing to its popularity and promotion. In order to boost the adoption rate of menstrual cups, youth should be targeted, who are more open to the idea of environment-friendly products. The study evaluates Governmental initiatives to conduct awareness programs in rural areas which appeal to all socio-economic classes. The dream of India becoming a ‘pad free country’ will be a reality only if there is an exponential increase of adoption rate. Popular sanitary pads are detrimental to the natural environment due to the presence of plastics in disposable items. This research seeks to find out whether people realize its harmful effects on environment and whether they are ready to make choices for the preservation of nature. Plastics associated with sanitary pads are under the radar and it escapes the affirmative actions to restrict the use of single-use plastics. Freidenfelds conducted inter-generational interviews with women to reveal their personal experiences of dealing with menstruation and compared their views with modern outlook on such issues. She found that clothes were used and reused widely used by older generations for menstrual hygiene before the availability of commercial sanitary pads and tampons. The prevalent notion of approaching menstruation as taboo clouded the discussion on the issue and restricted the adoption of menstrual cups. Profit-craving manufacturers of sanitary pads were also intervened in the process indirectly. A mixed method approach is adopted for the present study which includes online survey and focus group discussions.

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