Bhiwandi: Hundreds of women from tribal and Katkari communities staged a protest outside the Bhiwandi Tehsildar’s office demanding that the government provide free sanitary napkins through ration shops every month. The protest, led by Shramjivi Sanghatana, highlighted the serious health and hygiene challenges faced by poor women who cannot afford basic menstrual hygiene products.
Old Cloth, High Risk
A large number of tribal and Katkari women in Thane and Palghar districts rely on daily wage labour to support their families. Due to their extremely weak economic condition, many women are unable to afford sanitary napkins during menstruation. As a result, they are forced to use old cloth or other unhygienic alternatives, which significantly increases the risk of infections, skin diseases, and reproductive health complications.
Activists say that menstrual hygiene remains a neglected issue in many rural and tribal areas, where awareness and access to sanitary products are still limited. Lack of proper menstrual hygiene not only affects women’s health but also impacts their dignity and overall well-being.
Demand: 12 Napkins Per Month
To address the issue, Shramjivi Sanghatana has demanded that women from poor tribal and Katkari communities be provided at least 12 sanitary napkins free of cost every month through government ration shops.
The organization argued that just as essential food grains are distributed to economically weaker families through the public distribution system, menstrual hygiene products should also be made accessible to women who cannot afford them.
Women Leaders Lead Protest
The protest was led by women office-bearers of the organization, including Sangita Bhomte, Asha Bhoir, Sita Ghatal, Advocate Ujwala Shimpi, and Advocate Pooja Mali. Hundreds of women participated in the agitation and raised slogans demanding immediate action from the government.
For some time, the protesting women also took to the road to press their demands, which briefly created a tense atmosphere near the tehsildar’s office.
Advocate Ujwala Shimpi, General Secretary of the Labour Department of Shramjivi Sanghatana, along with activist Pratiksha Sambare, said the government should immediately introduce a scheme to provide free sanitary napkins through ration shops to ensure better health, hygiene, and dignity for women from marginalized communities.
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