Anantnag gets first “My Pad My Right” Unit in Kashmir under NABARD

DC inaugurates the project; highlights the importance of menstrual hygiene & emphasizes on raising awareness

ANANTNAG, March 09: With an aim to improve menstrual hygiene among women in rural areas, NABARD today launched the ‘My Pad My Right’ (MPMR) project in Kokernag area of Anantnag.

This is the first such project in Kashmir region and was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag, Dr Basharat Qayoom along with CGM NABARD Dr A K Sood.

The project is an initiative of NABARD and its subsidiary NAB Foundation, and is being implemented through Women Self Help Groups to provide better livelihood and menstrual hygiene to women in rural areas through grants-in-aid, wage support and equipment.

Under the project, a free sanitary pad making assembly machine, raw materials and wages for two months, packaging material with accessories and five-day training in three phases are provided to the SHG on grant basis.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC highlighted the importance of menstrual hygiene and emphasized that awareness on the topic is important for achieving desired goals in public health.

He congratulated the SHG group using this opportunity to generate livelihood and exhorted other females of the area to associate with the project to augment their livelihood. He appreciated the efforts of NABARD for such a unique initiative.

CGM NABARD spoke about NABARD’s support to rural women, particularly SHGs, in employment generation. He discussed the dual objective of the project viz. menstrual hygiene and income generation.

Along the side-lines of the inauguration event, the medical camp was also inaugurated under the same project in which Dr Saima, Medical Officer, discussed several facets of menstrual health. She urged that there is a need to spread awareness among rural women, the importance of educating their young daughters on menstruation before menarche, maintaining personal hygiene and use of sanitary pads in place of traditional methods.

On the occasion, free sanitary pads were distributed among the participants.

The programme was attended by a large number of SHG members, panchayat representatives, besides officers from District Administration, NABARD, Health department, NRLM, Banks, etc.