Menstrual Hygiene Programme for Adolescent Girls

The Menstrual Hygiene Programme is aimed at promoting Menstrual Hygiene for Adolescent Girls in the age group 10-19. The programme is implemented by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in association with the state governments.

It combines health education for adolescent girls, providing a regular supply of sanitary napkins and enabling other sanitation measures such as access to water and toilets in schools and in the community through convergence with other programmes.

Objectives of the Programme

• To increase awareness among adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene, build self-esteem, and empower girls for greater socialisation.
• To increase access to and use of high-quality sanitary napkins by adolescent girls.
• To ensure safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environment-friendly manner.

Components of the Programme

• Increasing awareness among adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene.
• Improving access to and use of high-quality sanitary napkins by adolescent girls residing primarily in rural areas.
• Ensuring the safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.
• Provision of funds to ASHAs to hold monthly meetings with adolescents to discuss issues related to menstrual hygiene.

Under the scheme, adolescent girls are provided sanitary napkins at a subsidized rate through the ASHAs and there is no provision for free distribution of sanitary napkins.