Leh, Feb 12: In a significant step towards promoting menstrual hygiene and empowering women, the First Lady of the Union Territory of Ladakh Neelam Mishra inaugurated sanitary pad vending ma-chines at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat, Civil Secretariat and KBR Airport Leh on Friday.
During the inaugural ceremony, she was accompanied by the Administrative Secretary of Social and Tribal Welfare UT Ladakh, Shashanka Ala, and other concerned officials. The initiative aims to provide easy access to sanitary pads for school-going girls and women, ensuring better menstrual health management and reducing the stigma associated with menstruation.
Addressing the female staff of Civil Secretariat Leh, the First Lady commended Sakhi- a self-help group (SHG) based in Martselang for coming up with the eco-friendly sanitary pad under NRLM and stated that it should be promoted at all levels. The First Lady highlighted the importance of menstru-al hygiene and the need to raise awareness about the social stigma regarding menstruation. Hailing the endeavours of the 26-member Sakhi SHG from Martselang village for coming up with the eco-friendly and biodegradable sanitary pads, she said that this initiative is a crucial step in ensuring that every girl has access to hygienic menstrual products, which in turn helps in improving the health sta-tus of females, and the environment.
After the inauguration of the Sanitary Vending machine at KBR Airport, she addressed the gathering and said that these are medically tested Sanitary pads, once they are successful, the same biode-gradable sanitary pad vending machines will be set up in different places in UT Ladakh.
Highlighting the collaborative endeavours of the Departments of Social and Tribal Welfare UT Ladakh, the First Lady said that this entire initiative has been successful by the efforts made by the Depart-ment of Social and Tribal Welfare UT Ladakh.
While addressing the event, the Administrative Secretary Social and Tribal Welfare UT Ladakh, Shashanka Ala provided comprehensive insights regarding the importance of women’s menstrua-tion, its awareness, social taboos associated with it. Keeping in view the fragile environment of UT Ladakh, she said that Sakhi’s product is eco-friendly and affordable. The Secretary said that inaugu-rating these Sanitary Vending Machines is an initiative to make access easy for women in society. ” It’s absolutely fine when you have male folk in such a gathering, where we are addressing social ta-boos related to menstruation,” she added.
Earlier, the inauguration of the sanitary pad vending machine kickstarted at the Lieutenant Gover-nor’s Secretariat in the presence of staff and officials.
Secretary, School/Higher Education, Bhanu Prabha, IAS, informed about the difficulty faced by men-struating females during office hours and stated that the installation of sanitary pad vending ma-chines would benefit the female staff. Vice-President, LBA, Kunzes Dolma stated that menstruation is not taboo and asked females to embrace it. It’s pertinent to mention that the inauguration of Sani-tary Vending Machines, at different places in Leh was held on the occasion of 10th year of celebra-tion of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Programme.
The inaugural event was attended by the Administrative Secretary of Social and Tribal Welfare UT Ladakh; Administrative Secretary, Education, UT Ladakh; Director of Social Welfare UT Ladakh; Direc-tor Airport Authority Leh; Dr Nordan Otzer, female staff of Civil Secretariat Leh; CISF and airline offi-cials.
