It’s 2020 guys. But somehow it still feels like we’re stuck in the stone age.
Look what happened in Gujarat’s Bhuj. Over 60 students were forced to strip in college, to prove they weren’t menstruating. Why? Because of some archaic taboos surrounding menstruation that keep women isolated and away from their peers. It is this kind of thought that forces many girls in India to miss school because of their periods! This is the latest incident in a long history of discrimination and isolation that women face because of menstruation.
This is what 2020 looks like in our country. Menstruation still continues to be a taboo. Many girls still do not have access to proper period protection. And they don’t get the opportunity to learn about period hygiene either. All this leads to 1 in 5 girls dropping out of school every year. And we don’t even notice!
It is appalling how in today’s day and age with the amount of progress we’ve made, something as natural as periods shouldn’t stand in the way of a girl from attending school and achieving her dreams. Watch this film by Whisper® to know how this issue has plagued our girls.
Bhumi Pednekar and Whisper® are bringing this important issue to light and they have joined hands to #KeepGirlsInSchool. Here’s what Bhumi has to say.
Bhumi’s message has compelled us to come forward and contribute to Whisper®’s long-standing effort of helping these girls secure a bright future. For every pack of Whisper Ultra that we buy in March 2020, the brand will help keep girls in school for a year. Isn’t it amazing?
In keeping with their vision of achieving 100% menstrual hygiene in India, Whisper® has educated more than 2.5 crore girls in India on menstrual hygiene in the last 3 decades. And with their #KeepGirlsInSchool initiative, Whisper® pledges to double that number by 2022.
No girl should have to compromise on her future. She should instead be empowered with education and facilities to take on any obstacle or challenges in life. So guys, it’s time for us to act. It’s time to #KeepGirlsInSchool.