Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court recently urged the State government to ensure distribution of sanitary napkins to adolescent girl children under the Shuchi scheme, stating that lack of hygiene products should not be a roadblock for girl children to attend schools on menstruating days.
Highlighting this, the order passed by Justices BV Nagarathna and KM Khazi said,
“They (girl children) ought not to miss attendance in the school on certain days of the month on account of lack of effective hygiene products being available to them on certain days of the month”
Infact, the Court went ahead to opine that separate toilets for girl children would mean a step closer to securing their right to health and privacy.
“…if separate toilets are provided to girl students in Government and aided schools, it would be enhancing their health, hygiene and privacy. As a result it would ensure full attendance of the adolescent girls in the schools and their right to education would be fulfilled.”
The Court was hearing a plea moved by the Anti-corruption Council of India in 2018 seeking strict implementation of the Shuchi Scheme.
The Shuchi scheme calls for distribution of sanitary napkins to adolescent girls, studying in schools and staying in hostels between the age group of 10 to 19 years. A total of 17,06,933 adolescent girls are beneficiaries of the scheme in the State.
The Additional Government Advocate submitted before the Bench that by the end of April 2021, the technical committee would be meeting to decide on procurement of sanitary napkins and in the month of May 2021, administrative approval will be sought. Thereafter, within 90 days, the procurement will be made, it was submitted.
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