Health

India’s Silent Education Crisis: How Menstrual Stigma is Forcing 60% of Teenage Girls Out of School

India’s Silent Education Crisis: 60% of teenage girls drop out of school due to menstrual stigma and lack of hygiene facilities. With millions of girls missing out on education, period poverty remains a critical issue. Can India follow Scotland and Kenya in making period products free? Read expert insights from Pee Safe’s Vikas Bagaria on how India can tackle this crisis.

Why Policy Gaps, Social Taboos, and Neglect of Menstrual Hygiene Are Hurting India’s Future

Menstrual stigma continues to keep millions of adolescent girls out of classrooms in India. According to UNICEF, more than 71% of girls in India do not know about menstruation before their first period. The consequences are devastating, with 60% of teenage girls dropping out of school due to the lack of access to clean toilets, sanitary products, and menstrual hygiene education.
The World Bank estimates that increasing female workforce participation could boost India’s GDP by 27%, but menstrual health remains one of the biggest obstacles in achieving this goal. The problem is not just rural—period stigma exists even in urban centers, where sanitary products are still hidden in black plastic bags and menstruation is spoken about in hushed tones.
Despite policies like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, India’s menstrual hygiene infrastructure remains largely inadequate, leaving adolescent girls vulnerable to missed education, economic hardship, and health risks.

Why Are Girls Still Dropping Out of School?
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reports that only 48% of Indian schools have separate toilets for girls. In rural schools, many do not have running water, soap, or disposal facilities for menstrual products. Without these basic necessities, girls are forced to stay home for several days each month. Over time, these absences lead to permanent dropouts, limiting future opportunities.
The problem extends beyond school infrastructure. UNESCO estimates that 23 million Indian girls drop out annually due to period poverty, a term used to describe inaccessibility to affordable menstrual products. Many are forced to rely on cloth, ash, sand, or other unsafe alternatives, increasing their risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and reproductive health issues.
Social stigma remains a significant barrier. Pee Safe founder Vikas Bagaria highlighted in the What India Needs! Podcast that menstrual myths still control how women experience their periods.
In urban areas, menstrual products are still wrapped in newspaper or hidden in black plastic bags. This stigma is forcing women into silence instead of creating open conversations about hygiene and access, Bagaria said.

The Menstrual Waste Crisis: A Growing Environmental Threat
With more than 355 million menstruating women in India, menstrual waste is a major environmental challenge. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that over 12.3 billion sanitary pads are discarded annually in India, leading to 113,000 tons of non-biodegradable waste. Most of these take 500-800 years to decompose.
Paul pointed out that this crisis requires urgent action.The amount of menstrual waste being generated in India is enormous. There needs to be a policy-level intervention to promote sustainable alternatives, such as biodegradable pads and menstrual cups.
Bagaria added that sustainable period products aren’t as expensive as people assume. “A menstrual cup costs ₹400-600 but lasts for five years. A biodegradable sanitary pad costs about ₹3,000 annually, which is cheaper than many daily-use products,” he said.

How Other Countries Are Tackling Menstrual Health
India is not alone in facing menstrual hygiene challenges. However, other countries have taken bolder steps to address the issue:

  • Scotland became the first country in the world to provide free period products to all women through government funding.
  • Kenya removed taxes on menstrual products, making them more affordable for low-income communities.
  • Bangladesh launched nationwide menstrual health education campaigns to reduce stigma and improve awareness.

These policies have directly reduced school dropouts and improved menstrual hygiene awareness. India has yet to implement large-scale government programs to make menstrual products widely available for free.

Why Men Must Join the Conversation
Menstrual health is often treated as a “women’s issue”, but changing male perspectives is critical in tackling stigma. Pee Safe’s “Men Buy Pads” campaign encourages fathers, brothers, and husbands to take an active role in purchasing menstrual products.
Paul noted that educating boys in schools about menstrual health could eliminate stigma over time. If boys grow up knowing that periods are normal, they will not reinforce harmful myths when they become adults,” she said.
Bagaria emphasized that male hygiene education is also lacking in India. Men don’t face the same taboos as women, but male hygiene habits are rarely discussed, which leads to serious health risks. Pee Safe has expanded its product line to include men’s intimate washes, designed to maintain pH balance and prevent infections.
What’s Next for Menstrual Hygiene in India?
The Indian menstrual hygiene market is projected to grow to $2.5 billion within the next decade, with penetration rates expected to reach 70-75%. However, Bagaria believes awareness is still the biggest hurdle.
“Innovation in menstrual hygiene is growing, but if people don’t accept these products, the problem remains,” he said.
Beyond innovation, policy-level changes are needed. India must:
  • Implement free sanitary pad distribution programs in government schools, similar to Scotland’s model.
  • Remove taxes on menstrual hygiene products, making them more affordable for low-income women.
  • Expand menstrual health education to all schools, targeting both boys and girls.
  • Improve sanitation infrastructure in schools by ensuring all institutions have separate toilets, clean water, and disposal facilities.
Watch the Full Podcast Discussion
🎧 Listen on Spotify: What India Needs! Podcast – Pee Safe
📺 Watch on YouTube: Full Episode
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