Including Men And Boys In Conversation: Sensitisation Workshops On Menstruation
About the Practice
Men are nervous about menstruation; although connected to every man, it is perceived as women’s business. Thus, the needs of those who menstruate remain unaddressed. Across India, interventions on menstrual health have typically focused on adolescent girls and women. Men and young boys, a considerable number within any population, have remained marginalized from menstruation information, resulting in ignorance. This seemingly simple ignorance at young age converts into exponential insensitivity into their adulthood. There are manifestations to this silence. Because speaking about menstruation is taboo, superstitions abound; for example, menstrual cloth is hidden from boys and men with a belief that they will go blind if they see blood stains. Thus, girls and women hide menstrual cloths in dark corners away from sunlight, the absorbents do not get sterilized, posing health problems. A budget for providing for clean menstrual absorbents for the menstruators is rarely on the family agenda. Bathrooms and water facilities an important aspect to menstruation management, receives no attention. Additionally, other genders who menstruate are marginalised. All these issues make the management of menstruation highly unsustainable. There is urgent need to sensitize the male population - urban or rural - they must be put in the centre of conversations to influence behaviour and practice by catalysing the processes of breaking silence, breaking age old taboos and taking action that benefits menstruators.
Detail:
"Sensitisation Workshops on Menstruation: The workshop design around sensitising boys and men takes the bull by the horns, aiming for sustainable management of menstruation (i) Knowledge: The workshop informs. It addresses changes in adolescents focussing on menstruation, by clearing misconceptions and superstitions, giving a holistic picture of social, environmental, health and economic issues. (ii) Empathy: The sessions at workshops instil empathy toward menstruators. (iii) Action: The session involves learning to be accountable to menstruators, learning various strategies to apply gained knowledge."
About the Innovator
Address: 5, Tirupati Vihar, Bhuwana, Near Celebration Mall
City: Udaipur
State: Rajasthan
PIN Code 313001
Email: lakshmi@jatansansthan.org
Contact No: 91- 9448060882
Website: www.jatansansthan.org
Practice Details
Manufacturing Capacity: For scale up from above, we will need to increase ourteam oftrainers, whih is veryeasily achieved if we have funding
Photo Links:
- See link
https://jatansansthan.org/awards-and-recognition/ - to view poster on "Men in Menstruation at the Copasah Symposium, 2019
- Jatan Sansthan began work with boys and men way back in the year 2000. Not too much attention was given to men by other organaistaions all these years. However the subject has generated interested these past three to four years with some programmes including boys and men. Organisations such as Tata Trust have taken consultations from Jatan Sansthan when they implemented their own programmes on "men in menstruation". We are acknowleged on their website
https://www.tatatrusts.org/our-work/water-sanitation-and-hygiene/sanitation-and-hygiene/menstrual-hygiene-management