Breaking the silence: a new initiative for menstrual hygiene management under the National Sanitation Programme in India

This paper presents the highlights and insights from the Training of Trainers (ToT) on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Programme, which was run by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) in September, 2013 in New Delhi with the support of Government of India. The first of its kind, this national training initiative was organised with the objective of creating master trainers from states capable of returning to their communities as champions for a deeply stigmatised and taboo issue, an issue which is central to the dignity, health and well-being of women and girls. This event focused on need for building capacity to address the three prongs of MHM, including breaking the silence on taboo subject, incorporating into IEC strategies and encouraging the use of funds under rural national sanitation program Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) for safe disposal materials. Government of India has now been included MHM in the NBA.