Breaking the Silence: It's Time Men Talked About Periods Too
I am Anushka Sarkar, and I hold a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from VIT, Vellore, and a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Rutgers University, USA. With a strong technical foundation in biomedical research and development, I am eager to apply my scientific expertise in roles that combine technical knowledge with strategic decision-making and community impact. I am starting an internship with Hamari Pahchan, a Delhi-based NGO working to empower underprivileged communities through initiatives across education, healthcare, women empowerment, elderly care, legal aid, and environmental conservation.
During my internship, I hope to contribute to their menstrual health and hygiene program, ‘Sukhad’. Limited access to resources, combined with a lack of awareness and social stigma around menstruation, plays a significant role in reproductive health and hygiene issues, especially in underprivileged communities. Through the Sukhad initiative, Hamari Pahchan has distributed over 95,000 hygiene kits and conducted open-space educational and awareness sessions for women on good hygiene practices and the proper use of sanitary products.
I firmly believe that extending the conversation about menstruation to men is equally important to tackle the stigma associated with menstruation. Educating boys about this from a young age will help them understand menstruation as a normal biological process and reduce the perpetuation of the silence, teasing, and misinformation that fuel the stigma. Educating and sensitizing adult men to this can help create supportive households where women don’t need to hide their hygiene and medical needs regarding menstruation. During my internship, I would be keen to take the initiative to introduce awareness sessions on menstruation for men, not just girls. I would like to help propose and design age-appropriate educational sessions about menstruation, menstrual health, and challenges faced by women to boys in schools, and open-space awareness sessions for men in underprivileged areas. Additionally, I would like to introduce the distribution of sustainable and cost-effective sanitary products like menstrual cups, which can last for several years with proper care. This would also include educational sessions about the use and maintenance of the product.
I am very excited to be a part of Hamari Pahchan and look forward to contributing to the Sukhad initiative by leveraging both my scientific background and personal commitment.