Women Menstrual Hygiene: Essential or not?

With India going under lockdown over the novel coronavirus, the government has brought masks and sanitisers under the schedule of the Essential Commodities Act in order to prevent hoarding and black-marketing of these goods. While this is the need of the hour, we have forgotten the needs of 335 million people who go through the natural process of menstruation every month. Sanitary napkins and other feminine products have not yet been brought under the EC Act, which includes commodities such as sugarcane, edible oils etc. These products are no less important and need to be made available at fair prices across the country. But what does bringing the commodity under the Act mean? Commodities under this legislation cannot be hoarded and sold in the black market and the government also sets a cap on the price of such commodities.

The reduction in hoarding would mean increased supply and over time, a decrease in the prices along with better accessibility with Germany removing taxes on tampons to Scotland becoming the first country to make all feminine hygiene products ‘free of cost’. In a time of public health systems being put to the test, it is necessary to ensure our own hygiene and the government to provide the essentials for the same.

Written by: Alden D'Souza