The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): A recent survey has revealed that over 50% of educated urban men have never purchased menstrual hygiene products for their partners, highlighting a significant gap in support and awareness. Additionally, three in four women feel uncomfortable discussing periods with their husbands.
The everteen Menstrual Hygiene Survey, which received more than 7,800 responses from individuals aged 18-35, included nearly 1,000 men, most of whom had completed their graduation or higher degrees. Released in conjunction with the global Menstrual Hygiene Day movement, the survey sheds light on prevailing social stigmas and the need for greater education and support regarding menstruation.
Key findings from the survey include:
– 88.3% of men do not take on additional household tasks to ease their partner’s burden during periods.
– 69.8% of men feel social stigmas make it difficult to discuss periods with their female partners.
– 65.3% of men agree that there should be more emphasis on educating men about menstruation.
– Three in four women (77.4%) do not feel comfortable discussing periods with their husbands.
– Nearly 90% of women feel uncomfortable discussing periods with their father or brother.
– Only 8.4% of women are comfortable discussing period-related issues with male colleagues at the workplace.
Despite these challenges, the survey showed some positive shifts in attitudes among men:
– 41.3% of men promised to educate themselves about periods after participating in the survey.
– 27.7% of men said they would listen to their partner’s needs and provide support during periods.
– 21.2% of men indicated they would communicate more openly with their partners about menstruation.
Chirag Pan, CEO of PAN Healthcare, emphasized the importance of male participation in achieving a period-friendly world. “If half of the world’s population is unconcerned or uneducated about periods, the goal of a period-friendly world cannot be accomplished. In a society like India, where taboos make it hard for men to accept menstrual periods as a normal phenomenon, we have tried to make humble beginnings by including male participation in our everteen Menstrual Hygiene Survey this year.”
Hariom Tyagi, CEO of Wet and Dry Personal Care, the maker of everteen, stressed the need for increased awareness among men about periods. “The responses also emphasize the necessity of creating more awareness among men on periods. Nearly 90 percent of the women said they did not feel comfortable discussing periods with their father or brother while three in four women (77.4 percent) did not feel comfortable discussing it with their husbands. Only 8.4 percent of women are comfortable discussing period-related issues with their male colleagues at the workplace.”