NGO Helps Bust Period Myths In Delhi Govt Schools

We all have had our doubts and various misconceptions about menstruation at the beginning of it. And while a few of us cleared the myths through awareness, there is still a bigger chunk of population that believes in not touching pickles while on periods as it gets rotten and many other myths like this.

To help promote scientific theories around menstruation and bust these myths, a Delhi-based NGO, Sachi Saheli, has launched a campaign called “Break the Bloody taboo”. Under the campaign, the NGO is starting sessions called “period talk” in which experts will answer the most common and frequently asked questions by young girls in Delhi’s government schools.

Girls To Get Lessons On Menstruation At 70 Delhi Government Schools in association with NGO "Sachi Saheli" pic.twitter.com/daWspPQ8rz

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The NGO started the campaign with teaching girls in slum areas and then moved to government schools. Currently, they will carry out their initiative in 70 government-run schools in the capital city. Its major focus is to educate young girls about menstruation through scientific reasons. This will include questions like whether girls should take medicine for cramps and busting myths that the girls have heard from their elders.

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“Usually lessons on menstruation are imparted to girls by their mothers who unfortunately also pass on superstition, stigma and fear surrounding the natural bodily process. There is an urgent need to educate young girls that menstruation is no disease and they need not be ashamed of it,” Surbhi Singh, a gynaecologist, who has been roped in to conduct these lessons, told IE.

The session will involve a questionnaire handed out to girls to know how much they know about menstruation.

Surbhi added, “They will be asked basic questions such as ‘how did they find out about periods’ and whether they were informed about it beforehand. The girls will also be taught how to use and dispose sanitary napkins. If need be, mothers of these girls will also be counselled to ensure that their orthodox beliefs about menstruation are changed.”

Kondli, Laxmi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Patparganj, Trilokpuri, Madanpur Khadar, Wazirpur and Shakur Basti are the places where these sessions by Sachi Saheli have been conducted so far.

Feature Image Courtesy: wordpulse.com