Right to menstrual health part of right to life under Art 21: SC

Court outlines menstrual hygiene measures and orders pan-India implementation to help girl child attain highest standards of health and dignity

- FPJ News Service

The Supreme Court on Friday delivered a landmark judgment recognising the right to menstrual health and access to menstrual hygiene measures as an integral part of the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

Holding that the inaccessibility of menstrual hygiene facilities undermines the dignity of a girl child, the Court said that access to safe, effective and affordable menstrual hygiene management (MHM) measures is inseparable from living a life with dignity.

A Bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan passed the ruling in a plea filed by Dr Jaya Thakur, which sought directions to ensure the provision of free sanitary pads to all school-going girls from Classes 6 to 12 and the availability of separate toilets for girl students in all government-aided and residential schools, Live Law and Bar & Bench report.