The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report

Lack of Access to Sanitary Pads for Highlanders a Grave Concern
Mr. Chayku (Bhutan)

Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan kingdom with a population of a little over 800,000 people is located in themountains in South Asia, under the umbrella of the Tibetan Plateaus. It is most often called the last
Shangri-La and the happiest country in the world. It is perceived as a land of perfection. However, if one
dives deeper down into the valleys and mountains, lifestyles show a mixed picture.

Gasa Village. Source: Tourism Council of Bhutan website

The serenity of the mountains, home to highlanders and nomads, holds multiple promises, some of which
are wonders in the world. However, the inhabitants cope peacefully with the harsh realities of being so
detached from the world. Among the many hardships nature has brought upon them, the lack of access tosanitary pads for girls and women is a sad tale.

Organizations and institutions in the country advocate for the use of sanitary pads to ensure hygienic
lifestyles and more focus is being given to this issue during Menstrual Hygiene Day. However, thismessage does not seem to have crossed the valleys and mountains. The women in these communities
have not heard of either menstrual hygiene or sanitary pads. Only a few have thought that menstrual
hygiene and sanitary pads are good for their personal and family health until recently.

The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report

Advocacy on the use of sanitary pads. Source: BBS archive
Shouldn’t the biological process in women’s body which allows for the conception of offspring and ensures
the sustainability of generations, be celebrated? Of course, but for a disturbingly large amount of world’sfemale population, the few days of menstruation every month is a source of significant shame. They aresubjected to being stereotyped, ignored, ostracized, or humiliated by individuals, neighbors, communities,
and even their own families. Particularly in Bhutan, the social stigma attached to menstruation is still intact
in its cultural norms and principles. The wide acceptance of this social stigma on the nation’s cultural andreligious perspectives has created even more discomfort.

BBS staff during Menstrual Hygiene Day 2018Bhutan will emerge from its position as a least developed country in a couple of years and its economy isexpected to develop dramatically. However, access to sanitary pads is and will remain a major issue forquite some time. Those who live in the mountains of Gasa, Laya and Lunana have been coping with thisissue under very unfriendly conditions for quite some time.

The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report

Although the community of Lunana has long faced harsh realities, including snow, glaciers, teeth-gritting
cold and other hardships, many of the members of the community there did not even know about theexistence of sanitary pads, with the exception of the younger generations. For women in thosecommunities, access to sanitary pads and other health facilities is an everyday challenge. While most
women use pieces of cloth during their periods, others use nothing at all.

Women of Lunana. Source: GoogleTshering Dema from Toenchoey in Lunana shared how frightened and scared she was the first time she
experienced menstruation. Because she thought she was the only one experiencing that, she kept quiet,
fearing stigma and discrimination. Without any knowledge about sanitary pads, she has spent her entire life
using pieces of cloth. “It’s very uncommon for women of my age in the community to use sanitary pads,”
said Tshering. She is aware that the use of these cloths is not hygienic and that she might come downwith an infection, but she says there are no alternatives. Another woman, Dorji Pem, shared the same viewon how elderly women in the community do not use sanitary pads.

In contrast, Tshering’s daughter, Tenzin Dema, who is 16 years old and a student at one of the schools in
the capital is very familiar with menstrual health and hygiene. The efforts and support provided by theyounger generations have helped a few women become familiar with menstrual health and hygiene anduse sanitary pads. However, they now face a different issue: lack of access to sanitary pads.

With the nearest shop a distance about 10 days away, women in these communities compromise theirhealth and hygiene on a daily basis. Even the easiest way to access sanitary pads requires them totransport them in bulk all the way from Punakha or Gasa which requires the women to pay three to fourtimes the actual cost of the pad. With the people’s livelihood solely dependent on yak herding, this is aluxury that most are unable to afford.

The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report

Men celebrate and support menstruation hygiene
Menstruation Hygiene Day 2018

Access to sanitary pads is very important for women’s empowerment and is something that will enhancetheir productivity as well. But the lack of access to proper menstrual hygiene has impacted girls andwomen in a serious way. School-age girls miss school and some even quit after they get their period. The
survey findings of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Menstrual Hygiene Management conducted in2017 by the Department of Education and UNICEF showed that 48% of girls missed school because ofissues with menstruation.

While different levels of advocacy are being carried out in the country, there have been intense efforts tomake sanitary pads accessible in many places. But for girls and women in the mountains, it remains aconcern. After all, it is the right of girls and women to have proper and easy access to healthy menstrual
hygiene.