SC to Hear Plea for Free Sanitary Pads and Improved Menstrual Hygiene in Schools

The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea today on Monday filed by social worker Jaya Thakur, seeking directions to states and the Centre to provide free sanitary pads to girls in classes 6 to 12 and ensure separate female toilet facilities in all government-aided and residential schools. The bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will consider the plea.

Earlier, the top court had asked the Centre to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure and a national model to be adopted by all states and Union Territories for managing menstrual hygiene in schools. The issue of menstrual hygiene was deemed of “immense importance,” and the court urged the Centre to engage with stakeholders to implement a uniform national policy on the matter, including in government and aided schools.

The court appointed the secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as the nodal officer to coordinate with all states and UTs to gather relevant data for formulating the national policy. While acknowledging existing schemes by the MoHFW, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Jal Shakti to address menstrual hygiene issues, the court emphasized the need for a uniform national policy with flexibility for adjustments based on regional conditions.

In her plea, Jaya Thakur highlighted the serious difficulties faced by adolescent females from impoverished backgrounds, aged between 11 and 18, in accessing education, which is their constitutional right under Article 21A of the Constitution. Lack of access to education, along with limited awareness about menstruation and menstrual hygiene due to economic deprivation and illiteracy, results in unhygienic practices and health consequences, leading to a higher dropout rate from schools.

The plea seeks to address these challenges by ensuring access to free sanitary pads and separate female toilet facilities in schools, aiming to improve menstrual hygiene and promote better educational opportunities for girls.