Pinkishe Foundation
31/10/2026
Period poverty is more than not being able to buy a pad. It means not having what you need to manage a period safely and with dignity. That includes:
When any one of these is missing, a normal part of life becomes a monthly struggle.
Things are better than they were. Among women aged 15 to 24, 79.2% now use a hygienic method during their period (NFHS-6, 2023-24). That still leaves many without one.
The gap between town and village is wide. About 9 in 10 young women in cities use a hygienic method, but only about 3 in 4 in villages (NFHS-6).
A review of Indian studies found that 1 in 4 girls stay home from school during their periods (BMJ Open, 2016). Each missed day is a day of learning lost.
Girls miss school for many reasons. There may be no usable toilet, no water, or nowhere private to change. They may be teased. Or they may be in pain, with no one to ask.
Toilets have come a long way. 97.3% of India's schools have a girls' toilet (UDISE+ 2024-25). But a toilet on paper is not always a toilet a girl can use. In 28% of rural government schools, surveyors found no usable girls' toilet when they visited (ASER 2024).
The same review found that 1 in 2 girls knew nothing about periods before their first (BMJ Open, 2016). For many, the first period comes with fear and confusion.
In many homes, periods are still not talked about. Girls and women may be told to stay out of the kitchen or the temple, to sit apart, or not to touch certain foods. These rules teach girls that their bodies are something to hide. Period blood is not dirty or impure. A period is a normal, healthy part of life.
The silence reaches the adults who should help, too. Teachers, health workers and parents are often unsure how to talk about periods, or uncomfortable doing so.
A month's pads are a real cost for a family that counts every rupee. When money is short, products are often the first thing to go.
So girls and women make do with what they can find: cloth they cannot wash or dry properly, and sometimes far worse.
Cloth itself is not the problem. Using cloth that is not washed well or dried in the sun can raise the risk of infections. Clean cloth, washed with soap and dried in sunlight, is a safe choice. What matters is having clean products, water, soap, privacy and the knowledge to use them.
Period poverty also makes it harder to get care. In many rural districts, the nearest doctor can be hours away. Girls with severe pain, very heavy bleeding or irregular periods may stay quiet out of embarrassment, or be told it is normal. Some of these problems, such as PCOS or endometriosis, need a doctor.
On 30 January 2026, in Dr Jaya Thakur v Government of India, the Supreme Court held that menstrual health is part of the right to life under Article 21. It gave directions for classes 6 to 12 on free products, vending machines, safe disposal, education, teacher training and annual inspection.
In an order of 1 September 2026, the Court set the standard as compostable products meeting ISO 17088 read with IS 5405. It directed states towards reusable cups, period panties and reusable napkins. (Reviewed: October 2026.)
The task now is to turn these directions into working toilets, steady supplies and real lessons in every school.
Menstrual education should be part of school for girls and boys, year after year. Girls need to know what to expect before their first period.
Free or low-cost products in schools, anganwadis and health centres should be routine, with a choice of disposable and reusable options.
Every school needs clean, private toilets with water, soap and a safe way to dispose of products.
Talk about periods openly at home and at school. Boys, fathers, teachers and elders all have a part to play.
Talk about periods openly. Answer a girl's questions without embarrassment. Listen without judgement. And if you can, make a donation so that more girls have what they need.
Have a question about your period? Call our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999. It answers at any hour.
A simple printable sheet that marks your period days, your fertile window and your ovulation day. We will email it to you now.
We will send the tracker and a few gentle menstrual health emails from Khyati at Pinkishe. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Prefer to work out your dates now? Open the free ovulation calculatorIt means not having the products, toilets, water, information and freedom from shame that girls and women need to manage their periods safely and with dignity.
A review of Indian studies found that 1 in 4 girls stay home from school during their periods (BMJ Open, 2016). No usable toilet, no products, teasing and pain all play a part.
Yes. Clean cloth, washed with soap and dried in sunlight, is a safe choice. Change it often and store it somewhere clean and dry.
In January 2026, the Supreme Court held that menstrual health is part of the right to life under Article 21, and gave directions for schools on free products, safe disposal, education and inspection. (Reviewed: October 2026.)
Talk about periods openly, answer questions without shame, and make a donation if you can.
Period poverty is about much more than pads. It is about toilets, water, information and the silence around periods. Fixing it keeps girls in class and protects their health and dignity.
Pinkishe Foundation is a specialist implementation organisation for menstrual health. We deliver, reliably, in schools and communities across India. Support our work with a donation.
₹1,100 gives one girl a year. Donations are eligible for deduction under Section 80G.
