335 Million…The number of menstruating women in India, representing nearly 30% of the nation’s population.
Menstruation has for long been a taboo topic that was only (if ever talked about) discussed behind closed doors. The recent wave of awareness around menstrual hygiene and its importance for female wellbeing has been pivotal.
However, one crucial point of discussion often gets missed in this conversation, that needs to be addressed. Menstrual cramps and spasms affect over 80% of the menstruating women in India, and often no heed is paid to it. It has a direct correlation with productivity, and cramps on average result in almost 9 days of lost productivity for women every year!
The fact that period leaves are being offered only offers a solution to the problem for a limited section. Think about a new mother who is also a homemaker, juggling between managing the household as well as the tantrums of a toddler. Is period leave a solution for her? Can she even take a 5-second break from the duty of caring for her child? Should she continue to work in pain and let this monthly cycle take a toll on her body?
Allopathic painkillers and analgesics provide some respite, and the majority of women aware of them become dependent. These ephemeral remedies often have immediate side effects, ranging from an over-worked liver to rashes on the skin, which in turn snow-ball into major disorders in the longer run.
With 12 years being the global average for the onset of menstruation and 41 years is that for menopause, a woman on average goes through around 400 menstrual cycles in a lifetime, which requires the consumption of around 2,800+ of these allopathic tablets to counter the unbearable pain. To put things into perspective, the degree of pain experienced is often described to be tantamount to a heart attack!
There is a need for a sustainable solution that is not harming the body in the longer run. More importantly, there is a need to normalize the conversation around menstrual cramps. #LetsNotWhisper anymore and announce to the world the pain that is being endured, the degree of it, and what it leads to.
It’s important for women to know that there is a better, more sustainable solution out there that does not harm your body in the longer run. Let’s work towards ensuring Every Period is a Painless Period globally!
This has been a focal point of our research at HempStreet, and we do believe that we do have a more responsible and sustainable solution to combating and serving a third of our population that has been constantly underserved.
