Latest news with #Hygiene
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
How menstrual hygiene issues and period stigma keep schoolgirls out of classrooms in India
Taboos and stigma around menstruation abound in the Indian subcontinent, and, despite progress, practices such as getting young women married after they hit puberty or restricting them from praying, cooking, or sometimes even sleeping inside home or using their bed continue, all attributed to the 'impurity' menstruation This culture of silence around menstruation and restrictions around open conversations have a huge impact on the health and education of adolescent girls -- not only does it lead to the spread of misinformation and unhygienic practices, it also keeps girls out of school one in four girls in India miss school due to menstruation, says a 2024 study by Shafique Ahmed et al, in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care . Issues faced by schoolgirls during menstruation Experts who work in the field say that a lack of proper washrooms, insufficient water supply, menstrual cramp management and sanitary pad disposal are some of the major problems faced by school-going girls across India. 'I have come across students taking leave from school during their periods. Parents start thinking about their marriage and many get married soon after puberty. Many of the girls in my school are already married,' said Dimple Singh, a teacher at a government school in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Medical professionals say that the onset of the menstruation is looked upon as the 'start of fertility,' and that is where the desire to 'look for a groom to marry the girl off', stems from. 'Across many rural parts of India, mothers play a central role in making choices post menstruation – and often make decisions for the girl to stay at home – whatever the reasons are. This furthers absenteeism, and can also create a gap between girls and boys attending the same schools,' said Divyang Waghela, head – Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, Tata Trust. Multiple field workers report that girls feel shy speaking about their own menstruation cycles and face backlash at home even if they want to open up about the topic. Many have reported during closed-door conversations that they do not understand why they have experience abdominal pain, and talking about this at home or at the doctor's has fallen deaf ears. . 'During one of our community events, 'Khullam Khulla Baat Karenge', silence spoke louder than those who actually spoke. 14-year-old Khushi confessed that she kept mum at the event because she was too shy to speak about periods in public. Stakeholders say that this issue is very 'personal' and must not be made public. This mindset reflects the widespread attitude that menstruators must silently endure discriminatory practices,' said Shalini Jha, founder, Alharh, a menstrual awareness and equity campaign. Lack of access to sanitary products Research also sheds light on the fact that many schools do not have supplies of sanitary napkins or clean restrooms for women to take care of their period needs. In 2022, when a girl in Bihar had asked for free sanitary pads at her school, senior IAS official Harjot Kaur Bhamra shamed her and said, 'Tomorrow, you attain the age of family planning and you would expect government to provide Nirodh (condom) too.' According to a 2022 study in BMC Public Health in 2022, only 42% adolescent women in rural India can access hygienic sanitary products. Even though the department of school education and literacy of the Education Ministry has recognised the challenges faced by the girls due to limited access to sanitary products and menstrual hygiene facilities during examinations in June 2024, there is no nationwide mandate on making sanitary products available, much less for for free, in India. 'I grew up in a household where there was a big ceremony and celebration when girls attained puberty, but the month after, when we got our periods, we became 'impure' and were placed in isolation, with separate clothing, vessels, etc., I have had to unlearn all of these myths and allow myself to experience the process of menstruation without any guilt, but it took years to dispel the shame,' Revathy B. from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu told The Hindu. Ms Revathy spoke about how, even after having a child, and now as an older woman she has not been able to free herself from the shame of period blood stains. She remembers missing school during her periods due to the lack of clean restrooms and said that would pray that her periods started on a weekend or holiday, so she did not have to miss out on her classes. No doors in school washrooms Nayna Mondal, a field worker of the Rangeen Khidki Foundation from Kolkata said that during intervention in schools and communities they learnt that many of the school washrooms did not even have doors. 'The schools lack resources. Hundreds of students use one or two washrooms, and they aren't even cleaned once in seven days. The conditions are very unhygienic,' Sanjina Gupta, founder of Rangeen Khidki, said. She also highlighted that many of the girls who have gained awareness about menstruation through their awareness drives face problems at home when they try to speak freely about the issue. Experts say that older men and women of the house refuse to accept scientific explanations and sometimes even years of rapport building and de-stigmatisation does not help. Ms. Gupta also said that in their initial days of work they faced backlash from men in the neighbourhoods they worked in. Their posters were torn down, they were criticised for speaking about a 'dirty' topic, but with time and repeated counselling, people have become more accepting of their work. Call for better healthfocused policies and interventions Last year, on July 8, the Supreme Court of India directed the Central government to frame a model policy on menstrual leave for female employees; this was a landmark moment in bringing about policy-level change and making menstrual issue a part of open conversations. Even though ground-level implementation is yet to be seen, this move is a step forward in the process of destigmatisation of menstruation, experts said. But even after years of field work and intervention, Ms. Jha pointed out, 'the voices from the ground remain dishearteningly similar: a tale of shame and stigma that represents clear violations of fundamental rights.' 'The path ahead should be centered around fundamentally reframing the conversation around menstruation – inviting more households to recognise it as an indicator of health instead of a marker or sexual maturity,' Mr. Waghela said.
Business Standard
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
King of Lavatory Care Partners with King of Bollywood: Harpic Welcomes Shah Rukh Khan as Brand Ambassador
BusinessWire India New Delhi [India], May 2: Harpic, India's No. 1 toilet and bathroom cleaner and a pioneer in home hygiene solutions trusted by over 100 million plus households, proudly announces a landmark moment in its legacy by welcoming the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, as its brand ambassador. This powerful partnership unites Harpic's trusted legacy of superior cleaning^ with Shah Rukh Khan's enduring appeal, shared values, and immense influence among Indian families. For over a century, Harpic has globally led the way in redefining sanitation and hygiene standards. Today, reaching 1 in 3 Indian households~, Harpic has played a vital role in empowering families across urban and rural India and offers a powerful, effective and reliable cleaning solution. Its partnership with Shah Rukh Khan marks a new milestone in its journey to inspire dignity, care, and better hygiene in every Indian household. Speaking about his association with the brand, Shah Rukh Khan said, "Cleanliness begins with small but meaningful actions. I am proud to partner with Harpic, a brand that has championed hygiene and dignity in Indian homes for decades. I have great respect for the unsung heroes -- homemakers -- whose dedication ensures the health and happiness of families. They deserve the best. With Harpic Hai Na, every home can count on superior hygiene plus cleaning action^, and lasting freshness -- delivered in just five minutes. Much like the reassurance one seeks in life's important moments, Harpic Hai Na stands as a dependable partner in every household." To mark the beginning of this iconic partnership, Harpic will be releasing a new TVC featuring Shah Rukh Khan, "Harpic Hai Na", which brings forth the superiority of Harpic Toilet Cleaner, to deliver 10X better cleaning, powerful disinfection in 5-minutes, and long-lasting fragrance^. The campaign strongly reinforces Harpic's position as the ultimate solution for complete toilet hygiene, not just a better alternative to detergents. The campaign thought "Harpic Hai Na" becomes a reassuring promise for Indian homes -- offering powerful, dependable hygiene solutions when they're needed the most. This emotional undertone, combined with Harpic's superior performance^, reinforces the brand's commitment to being the trusted hygiene partner every family can rely on. Many homemakers continue to use generic solutions like detergents, unaware that they are suboptimal for effective toilet hygiene. Harpic's new campaign aims to drive a decisive behavior shift -- encouraging consumers to move beyond detergents towards a purpose-built, scientifically superior solution. Commenting on the announcement, Gautam Rishi, Marketing Director, Hygiene, Reckitt - South Asia, said, "We are thrilled to welcome Shah Rukh Khan to the Harpic family. His deep connect with millions of Indians and his values perfectly mirror Harpic's own journey of trust, performance, and care. Harpic's legacy of science-backed innovation and its commitment to superior hygiene solutions^ have transformed sanitation habits across India. Over the past 2 decades we have been able to garner the trust of 1/3 of the households~ of the country, and now our ambition is to take it to every second home in the country. With the superior^ Harpic product and this incredible partnership, we aim to reinforce the importance of dedicated toilet cleaning solutions and make Harpic an indispensable part of Indian households." The newly launched TVC starring Shah Rukh Khan, conceptualized by Havas Creative India, brings relatable home scenarios to life -- highlighting the everyday struggle with ineffective cleaning solutions and demonstrating how Harpic toilet cleaner provides faster and better cleanliness^. The emotional narrative, combined with powerful product performance, brings home the message loud and clear: When it comes to effective toilet cleaning, detergent is not the right choice -- Harpic Hai Na. Anupama Ramaswamy, Joint Managing Director & Chief Creative Officer, Havas India said, "What does Havas Creative do when Harpic, a market leader asks us to take it to the next level from the numero uno position it already is? We think not big, but king size. We suggested bringing onboard none other than King Khan! We have developed relatable & engaging campaign where Shahrukh Khan becomes an ally to every homemaker and makes her life easy because of Harpic's superiority^. And in his signature style he charmingly says - Harpic Hai Na!" This partnership marks a bold new chapter in Harpic's journey -- blending its trusted legacy with modern relevance, inspiring Indian families to choose more effective hygiene solutions^. Link to TVC: Agency Credits: Creative Agency - Havas Creative India Chief Creative Officer - Anupama Ramaswamy Production house - Karmman Line Producer - Sana Patel Director - Vivek Daschaudhary & Reema Music - Haroon and Gavin ^10x better limescale removal vs ordinary detergents and kills 99.99% germs post 5 minutes of contact with undiluted product. ~ Basis Kantar Household Panel Data December 2024
Mid East Info
24-04-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Tork MEIA Wins Gold for ‘Commitment to Sustainability' at Middle East Cleaning, Hygiene, and Facilities 2025 Awards
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 2025 – Tork a leading global brand in professional hygiene, has been awarded Gold in the 'Commitment to Sustainability' category at the Middle East Cleaning, Hygiene, and Facilities (MECHF) 2025 Awards , held in Dubai. The accolade recognizes Tork's longstanding dedication to driving sustainability and innovation across the hygiene and cleaning industry. From pioneering coreless centrefeed dispensers to introducing data-driven cleaning solutions, Tork continues to push boundaries in creating a cleaner, more sustainable future for businesses and communities. Part of Essity , a global hygiene and health company, Tork has consistently delivered professional hygiene solutions that reduce waste, improve operational efficiency, and support well-being in sectors ranging from hospitality to healthcare and offices. 'We are incredibly proud to receive this award, which reflects our commitment to building a more sustainable hygiene industry,' said Tom Marshall, Commercial Director of Tork Middle East, India & Africa . 'At Tork, sustainability isn't just a strategy – it's embedded in every product we design and every solution we offer. This recognition fuels our motivation to continue innovating with purpose.' Among its award-winning innovations, the Tork Vision Cleaning system stands out—a digital cleaning solution that uses real-time data to optimize cleaning workflows and reduce resource consumption. The system has been widely adopted by organizations aiming to raise hygiene standards while improving environmental performance. This recognition cements Tork's position as a trusted partner for businesses committed to responsible operations and long-term sustainability.
