Policy on menstrual products for schoolgirls almost ready, Supreme Court told

New Delhi, July 8

The Supreme Court on Monday gave two more months to the Centre for formulating a national policy on distribution of menstrual hygiene products to adolescent school-going girls after being told that the process was at an advanced stage.

Taking note of the submissions made by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati on behalf of the Centre, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posted the PIL filed by Congress leader Jaya Thakur for further hearing in September.

Highlighting the difficulties faced by adolescent girls from poor backgrounds in schools, Thakur has sought directions to the Centre, states and Union Territories to provide free sanitary pads to girl students of class 6-12 and ensure separate female toilet facilities in all government-aided and residential schools.

The Centre had earlier said it was in the process of collating all necessary material to form a national policy on the distribution of menstrual hygiene products to school-going girls in terms of the orders dated April 10, 2023 and November 6, 2023.

Terming menstrual hygiene as an issue of “immense importance”, the Supreme Court had on April 10, 2023 asked the Centre to prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and formulate a national model to be adopted by states and Union Territories for managing menstrual hygiene of school girls across India.