Menstruation is a natural phenomenon that every woman goes through. However, lack of proper knowledge about menstrual hygiene is a major issue for women living in rural areas and urban slums. It often leads to poor hygiene, infections, and other health problems, further exacerbating their struggles and hampering their overall progress.

Even though we are progressing as a nation and winning accolades on the global stage, rural India continues to battle challenges like poor menstrual hygiene, taboos, superstitions and lack of awareness.

It is a shocking fact that menstruation acts as a major barrier to girls’ education and women’s participation in the workforce in rural area even today.

On April 10, 2023, the Supreme Court of India called for a ‘Uniform National Policy’ to be developed by the Central Government, in consultation with States and Union Territories, to ensure menstrual hygiene in schools. The policy aims to provide sanitary pads, vending and disposal mechanisms, and exclusive washrooms for girl students in schools.

The Government of India (GoI) addresses menstrual hygiene through several inter-ministerial policies and schemes, most notably the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) under the National Health Mission and the provision of subsidized sanitary pads under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has incorporated Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) into its guidelines, focusing on developing national guidelines, promoting behaviour change, and supporting villages with waste management solutions like incinerators and deep burial pits.

A Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School Going Girls was approved in November 2024 to enhance MHM standards in government schools by focusing on awareness, product access, and proper disposal facilities, including separate toilets.

The CSR Journal takes a look at some of the latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives which aim to raise awareness around menstrual health and hygiene in India thus empowering adolescent girls and women.

Top CSR projects working towards menstrual health and hygiene in India 

Campaign to Empower Rural Women With Sustainable Menstrual Hygiene

Centre For Transforming India (CFTI), a nonprofit organisation dedicated to rural transformation, has announced launch of “The Cup Of Care” campaign to help provide low-income, middle-aged women in Raigad with affordable menstrual hygiene solutions.

The Campaign aims to provide a dignified, environmentally friendly menstrual hygiene option with menstrual cups. At least 42% of women still rely on unhygienic methods, as menstrual hygiene challenges are severe in Maharashtra. It is even worse in states like Uttar Pradesh (69.4%), Bihar (67.5%), and Madhya Pradesh (64.8%). The high price of sanitary napkins creates financial barriers for women; due to the “pink tax,” GST-free menstrual cups produce a long-term, more affordable solution.

Medically tested silicone menstrual cups give 12 hours of leak-proof protection to help prevent rashes, infections, and discomfort for women working in agriculture or the informal sector without access to clean toilets during the day.

The Campaign aims to create conversations, provide females with an eco-friendly lifestyle choice, and generate less waste. While empowering them to choose their own solutions for the long term by promoting the use of menstrual cups.

NTPC Bongaigaon donates sanitary napkin incinerators to Bodoland and Kokrajhar Universities

As part of its commitment to community health and women empowerment, NTPC Bongaigaon under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, in collaboration with the District Administration, Kokrajhar, and the Bardwi Shikla Ladies Club, NTPC Bongaigaon, donated seven sanitary napkin incinerators, five to Bodoland University and two to Kokrajhar University.

The provision of sanitary napkin incinerators will help in ensuring safe, hygienic, and eco-friendly disposal of menstrual waste on university campuses. They stressed that such interventions are vital in addressing menstrual hygiene challenges, breaking taboos, and enabling students to pursue education with confidence and dignity.

CSR of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in government schools of rural India

BPCL installed sanitary napkin vending and incinerator machines in government schools and communities, renovated toilets and constructed community toilet units to improve hygiene standards. Recent installations include six incinerator machines in government-aided schools in Chennai in July 2024 and multiple installations in Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Salempur, Uttar Pradesh, in FY 2023-24. These machines provide access to sanitary napkins and ensure their safe disposal, contributing to girls’ well-being and the environment.

CSR of IRCLASS Systems and Solutions

IRCLASS Systems and Solutions Pvt Ltd, a company promoted by Indian Register of Shipping which looks into Testing, Inspection & Certification requirement of Industry to achieve Quality, Safety and Reliability across value chain has launched a CSR project titled ‘Hygiene and Menstruation for Health and Dignity’. The project is aimed at improving menstrual health and hygiene practices among rural women and adolescent and girls in Maharashtra.

Located in Kelwad, Ahilyanagar, the project aims to break taboos around menstruation faster dignity and support the health and well being of women in underserved communities. The initiative supports a social innovation startup funded through ISSPL’s CSR Funds and is powered by made in India machinery. Under the brand name ‘Lady Lotus’, the project has established a sustainable unit for the production of low-cost high-quality sanitary napkins tailored to meet the needs of rural women in Maharashtra.

In addition to improving access to affordable hygiene product, the initiative also promotes employment generation and community awareness through women-led operations and sensitisation workshops.

CSR Project ‘Keep a Girl in School’ in Mumbai

Bold & Bae Fashion, a Mumbai-based startup in the women’s apparel sector, has launched an initiative to keep girls in school by addressing menstrual health and hygiene concerns. To ensure that no girl misses out on education due to lack of access to sanitary pads and proper menstrual hygiene, the brand ha

s partnered with various schools in Mumbai, including Gandhi Memorial English High School & Junior College (Kamla Nagar), BSIAS School (Dharavi), and Mother Teresa School (Dharavi). This initiative marks the beginning of the company’s long-term commitment to this cause.

An alarming 60% of girls in India remain absent during their periods or drop out of school permanently due to various challenges. This statistic underscores the critical condition of underprivileged girls.

Smita Thorat, Co-Founder of Bold & Bae Fashion, stated, “Access to sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene products is every girl’s basic right. We are dedicated to supporting underprivileged school girls by providing menstrual hygiene products. Our mission is to ensure that no girl misses out on her education just because she can’t afford something as basic as sanitary pads. Through this programme, we aim to empower young girls to stay in school, pursue their dreams, and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.”

Under this mission, Bold & Bae donates a pack of sanitary pads every time a purchase is made on their website. The company has partnered with several NGOs to support this initiative, including collaborations with Nanhi Pari and the Mother Teresa Memorial Social Welfare Trust to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene.

CSR of Union Bank of India

Union Bank of India is running a CSR initiative to promote menstrual hygiene and maintain a hygienic waste management system. The bank is installing sanitary pad vending machines and sanitary pad disposal machines in government or government-aided schools under the jurisdiction of its 134 regional offices. This initiative aims to raise awareness among girls about sanitation and hygiene while reducing absenteeism among female students.

As part of its commitment to improving infrastructure in schools, Union Bank of India has also announced that it will construct more than 134 girls’ toilets across the country, with contributions from all regions. This initiative seeks to provide young girls with clean and safe sanitation facilities, ensuring their comfort and dignity.

CSR of TVS Motor Company

Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), the social arm of TVS Motor Company and Sundaram-Clayton Limited, has been working for women empowerment in the rural belts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh for the past 27 years, through formation of Women Self-help groups, and helping them sustain through interventions in diverse sectors such as training, credit linkage, livelihood programmes and nudging them towards development of their community. SST has established a hygiene programme that focuses on menstrual health, benefiting over 1000 girl children annually, as per a recent announcement made by the trust.

CSR of Flipkart – Project Udaan

The Flipkart Foundation and Give Foundation in August 2023 announced partnered with Pinkishe Foundation, a non-profit organisation working towards improving the lives of women and girls in India, towards spreading awareness about menstrual health and hygiene. The initiative – ‘Project Udaan’ – aims to create period-positivity while addressing the challenges girls and women from marginalized communities face, especially in rural areas. By providing essential information and eco-friendly period products, the project endeavors to foster better reproductive health and behavioural practices. The project will be executed across multiple locations in four states, including Gandhinagar and Mehsana in Gujarat, Gurugram in Haryana, Bengaluru in Karnataka and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

‘This collaboration aims to empower and encourage adolescent girls and dismantle the taboo around periods. Besides promoting appropriate menstrual health practices, the project also envisions nurturing a sense of dignity and confidence among young girls and women. The programme seeks to cater to girls aged 10 to 18 years, benefiting 1,600 girls directly and an additional 3,200 girls and women indirectly, covering 20-25 schools identified with the help of local teams,’ as per a statement from the company.

CSR of Amrutanjan Health Care Limited

On the occasion of International Women’s Day in March this year, Amrutanjan Health Care Limited launched a campaign #PowerToBeYou to address the critical issue of period poverty in India and to spread the message that every woman has the right to manage her periods with dignity and confidence.

Menstrual hygiene brand Amrutanjan Comfy, under its Project Disha, this year, has reached out to 10 states, 900 towns, 400 schools, 4.8 Lakh students and 100 Anganwadi centers across India to create awareness around menstrual hygiene and dismantle the barriers that hinder access to essential menstrual hygiene products, as per an announcement. #PowerToBeYou aims to transform communities by empowering women with access to affordable and high-quality menstrual hygiene products.

CSR of PNB Housing Finance

PNB Housing Finance has undertaken a mission to create awareness and train rural women about the importance of menstrual hygiene. A program on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) was inaugurated on 19 January 2023 under which the Company, in association with the Desai Foundation, has set up a sanitary napkin production unit at Sitapur Road in Lucknow.

PNB Housing Finance’s CSR arm, the Pehel Foundation, has taken this initiative to eliminate a key barrier to girls’ education and women’s participation in the workforce. The programme aims to increase awareness about menstrual hygiene among rural women and provide them with easy access to quality and affordable sanitary napkins. A three-pronged approach, i.e., creating awareness, establishing a local production unit, and building a robust distribution network of female sales representatives, will help foster a sustainable ecosystem and boost their financial empowerment.

While this programme aims to help provide livelihood opportunities to rural women, the company is confident that the direct distribution model will increase access to menstrual hygiene, which can prove to be a catalyst for change in the entire community.

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