No more a taboo now as Bhopal willingly offers ‘Pads’ through ‘Happy Nari’ vending machines

Bhopal, January 9: The nation is talking about several social issues and at times these issues create a buzz and that is the reason we at time avoid talking about it. One such issue which should garner the needed attention and should be discussed is the matter of menstrual hygiene. Talking about matters which are considered as a taboo in this society has now become a matter of past. Setting an example is the state of Bhopal welcoming new techniques to shade away neglected topics.

 

Bhopal station has become the first railway station in the country to have installed a sanitary vending machine. Named 'Happy Nari', the sanitary napkin dispensing machine was installed at platform number 1 of Bhopal Railway station. The women welfare association in Bhopal has started a sanitary vending machine. Yes, you heard that right! The machine dispenses two sanitary napkins on putting Rs.5 coin in the machine. It is the first and only railway station to have a sanitary napkin machine. It was estimated that over 600 sanitary napkins were dispensed from a vending machine that was installed at the railway station

Combined with this is a lack of access to menstrual health products. Only 12% women use sanitary pads, others use cloth, cotton wool and ash. Needless to say, lack of access makes these women extremely susceptible to diseases and infection. For millions of women in India though, the struggle begins with basic awareness. Around 87% of women and girls in India are completely unaware about menstruation and do not have any knowledge about its purpose as a biological process.

This seems like a necessary tool as the need to talk about it and create awareness is very important.