The stigma associated with menstruation discourages open discussions about menstrual health in our society. As a result, there is a severe lack of awareness regarding menstrual health among women and girls. This lack of awareness is particularly evident in prisons, where women prisoners face multiple forms of discrimination based on their gender, incarceration and menstruation.
As of December 2021, there were nearly 23,000 women prisoners in India, accounting for 4.13% of the total prison population. The Prison Statistics India, 2021 reported that the majority of female prisoners fall in the age groups of 18-30 years (29.4%) and 30-50 years (50.7%).
This means that approximately 80% of women in prisons are in the active stages of the menstrual life cycle. Despite the large number, the lack of attention given to menstrual health in policymaking often results in poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices in prisons.
The prison infrastructure lacks facilities like clean toilets, adequate number of dustbins and facilities for proper disposal of sanitary napkins among other things. Arpita*, an ex-prisoner, said, “Women inmates are unaware of menstrual health, including topics such as why women get periods every month, irregular menstrual cycles, hygiene, and disposal methods. Awareness camps should be arranged on a regular basis not only for women inmates but the staff too.”
Without guidelines on menstrual health and hygiene management in prison policies, the likelihood of proper MHM practices being followed in jails reduces. The lack of access to information on menstrual health and hygiene significantly affects the livelihood, mental well-being and physical health of women. However, most State Prison Manuals only refer to the provision of sanitary pads without making any other provision in terms of hygiene management or disposal.
The Model Prison Manual, 2016, which provides a model for the administration of prisons nationwide, states that ‘sterilised sanitary pads should be issued to women prisoners as per their requirements.’ But it mentions nothing about the disposal of these pads, or about the provision of special medical attention to women suffering from menstruation-related health concerns.
Access to sanitary products and safe and dignified means of managing menstrual hygiene are fundamental needs of every woman who menstruates, including those in prison. Effective policies on MHM will help improve the physical and mental well-being of women prisoners.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) describes ‘menstrual health rights’ to include both menstrual hygiene management as well as the broader systemic factors which are linked to menstruation such as health, gender, education, equity and empowerment.
Menstruating women often go through emotional and bodily changes during their periods and at different stages including pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and menopause. Over a lifetime, a person who menstruates might face menstruation-related exclusion, neglect or discrimination such as exclusion from public life, barriers to opportunities and barriers to sanitation and health. Moreover, UNFP explains that external factors also affect the menstruating person managing their periods.
While India has a few schemes that focus on menstrual health and hygiene management for the general population, none of them are aimed at women prisoners. The Menstrual Hygiene Scheme 2011 focuses on increasing awareness on menstrual health and hygiene among adolescent girls. Guidelines under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan ensure MHM in rural areas by creating awareness and behaviour change on sanitation and hygiene. The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana ensures sanitary napkins at affordable price to menstruating women. Neither of these give attention to MHM for women in prisons.
This is evidenced by a study conducted by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, ‘Periods in Prisons’, which documents MHM practices in 11 women’s prisons across the country. The study not only highlights the poor MHM practices followed in prisons but also how they vary from prison to prison.
For example, some prisons provide 10 napkins (1 packet) per month to women inmates, others give up to 20 pads while some give them in accordance with the prisoners’ needs.
As per Model Prison Manual, 2016 a minimum of 135 litres of water should be available per inmate daily. The amount of water needed for women inmates can be more depending on specific hygiene needs, especially during their menstrual cycle. However, the water actually made available to them varies from prison to prison.
The report also highlights issues such as irregular testing of water quality, lack of conversations around sustainable menstrual products, lack of sensitisation programmes for prisoners and prison staff, and no proper disposal of used menstrual products.
The report calls upon prison departments to issue a policy that provides minimum standards for MHM in prisons such as access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, prison staff to undergo training related to gender-specific needs, necessary infrastructural facilities for disposal of menstrual product, and access to quality sanitary pads for free as per the prisoners’ requirement.
Menstruation is a natural biological process, and it is crucial to recognise it. Every menstruating woman should have the agency to manage their periods in a safe and healthy environment, with access to the necessary information and resources. By promoting menstrual hygiene management, we can protect women’s dignity, privacy, bodily integrity and overall health. It is essential to acknowledge that the right to menstruate in a healthy environment is a fundamental right for every menstruating woman and transgender person, regardless of whether they are incarcerated.
*Name changed to maintain confidentiality
The author is Project Officer at Access to Justice (Prison Reforms) Program, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). Views are personal.