Swabhimaan Kendra has become a hub for adolescents to come and hold discussions as well. During the 16 days of Activism, a global campaign led by governments, civil society, media, and citizens around the world to counter and eliminate sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, a session has been conducted with adolescent daughters of the women domestic workers associated with the Swabhimaan Kendra in Panipat. Some of the women domestic mothers also sat in and participated in the discussion. 

The session took place on December 6, 2021, and focused on concepts of nutrition, health and wellness, and debunking myths around menstrual wellness and hygiene, and was envisioned as a key step towards countering gender-based discrimination and violence.

The participatory training session began with a conversation on the self, the body, and the changes that adolescents were noticing in their bodies as they grew up. Adolescents were then led into a conversation on nutrition and the impacts of their food choices on their physical and mental health. 

The facilitator then began a conversation on menstruation and the changes one went through upon its onset. While some participants were extremely hesitant to speak about it, others began to open and ask questions around the issue. 

Participants speak about menstrual myths and practices

“Ladkiyon ko school nahin jaana chahiye, jab unko ladies’ problem ho (Girls shouldn’t go to school when they have a ‘ladies’ problem’)”

  • Tanya (name changed), 14 years old

“I don’t send my daughter to school when she has her period. Other girls will also ‘catch’ it otherwise”

  • Meera (name changed), domestic worker 

“Aachar chune se aachar kharaab hojata hai”

  • Naina (name changed), 16 years old 

“Ma’am ji, nahane dhone se bhi mana karte hai aur mandir jaane se bhi mana karte hai, kaha jata hai ki iss waqt ladkiya ashudh hoti hai” 

  • Riya (name changed), 15 years old

 

The facilitator helped adolescents and their mothers debunk the myths and misconceptions around menstruation. Some of the key learning outcomes for adolescents were: 

  1. Menstruation is not a disease, it’s a natural body phenomenon
  2. Menstruation is not just a ‘ladies’ problem’
  3. Menstruation doesn’t make anyone impure.
  4. During menstruation, it is very important to maintain cleanliness and hygiene and it is okay to take a bath while menstruating. 
  5. They can touch aachar(pickles) and work in the kitchens since they realized it is just a myth. 
  6. If someone starts menstruating early in age, that does not mean they should be ashamed. Menstruation can start from as early as 10 years old as well.  

The session revealed the Lack of conversation and silencing of the issue of menstruation is another contributor to lack of information and awareness around it - across two generations. It has been found that the lack of information and constant silencing of any conversation on the body, wellness and menstruation, menstrual stigma, and shaming, are heavily hampering mental health of adolescent girls.

 Hence, there is a critical need to open up conversations about self and wellness of adolescent girls. Such conversations are rarely facilitated among families, putting girls and women at high risk of health and nutritional issues.