Month-long menstrual hygiene awareness campaign in Mandya

Mandya: As part of the International Women's Day, a month-long awareness campaign focusing on menstrual health, hygiene and the use of menstrual cups, will be conducted across Mandya district from March 8 to April 8, said KR Nandini, chief executive officer of the Mandya zilla panchayat.Chairing a video conference through the Karnataka State Wide Area Network (KSWAN), Nandini instructed taluk executive officers to ensure the effective implementation of the campaign across all taluks. She emphasised the importance of educating women about personal hygiene, cleanliness, and menstrual health.As part of the campaign, officials were directed to form awareness groups for women above 18 and below 35, to promote proper hygiene practices. In addition, menstrual cups will be distributed to women in the 35–45 age group, along with expert medical guidance to ensure safe and proper usage.Under the pilot phase, 17 gram panchayats in the district were selected. Nandini directed that menstrual cups be distributed to all ASHA and anganwadi workers, teachers, mid-day meal staff, health department personnel, and members of self-help groups. The initiative aims to transform these villages into ‘pad-free' gram panchayats by encouraging the use of sustainable menstrual products.The campaign will be implemented through a dedicated team comprising of panchayat development officers, health staff, ASHA and anganwadi workers, staff from the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), taluk panchayat officials, hostel staff, and other active women officials. Awareness will also be spread about NRLM's Food, Nutrition, Health and WASH (FNHW) initiatives, along with programmes aimed at preventing gender-based violence.