Ujaas, Central Railway Mark Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026
Marking Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026, Ujaas — an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust founded by Advaitesha Birla — partnered with Central Railway Mumbai to illuminate Mumbai’s iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) heritage building in red, amplifying a powerful public message: “Menstrual Hygiene is a Right, not a Privilege.”
The initiative comes at a time when menstrual health and hygiene management is increasingly being recognised as an issue of dignity, equality, education, and public health. This momentum was further reinforced by the Supreme Court’s recognition of menstrual health and hygiene as intrinsically linked to the fundamental rights to dignity, equality, education, and health under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution.
While India has made progress in menstrual hygiene awareness, significant gaps continue to persist. National data indicate that nearly one in four young women in India still does not have access to hygienic menstrual methods. Studies have also shown that many adolescent girls remain unaware of menstruation before experiencing their first period, while menstruation-related stigma, misinformation, and lack of supportive environments continue to impact confidence, mobility, and school attendance.
The disparities are often more visible within underserved communities and urban informal settlements, where girls continue to navigate challenges around privacy, awareness, and social stigma despite living within large metropolitan cities. Research across urban settlements has also highlighted that school absenteeism during menstruation can reach close to 38%, reinforcing the need for sustained awareness and community engagement around menstrual health.
By bringing the conversation to one of India’s busiest public landmarks and transport hubs accessed by millions every day, Ujaas and Central Railway sought to encourage more visible, mainstream conversations around menstruation and challenge the silence that continues to surround the subject.
Speaking on the occasion, Poonam Patkar, Head of Ujaas, an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust, said: “The collaboration between Ujaas and Central Railway reflects the
importance of bringing menstrual health conversations into mainstream public spaces. Menstruation cannot continue to remain a conversation limited by silence, stigma, or discomfort. The Supreme Court’s recognition marks an important step toward acknowledging menstrual health as an issue of dignity, equality, and access. However, sustained progress will require continued efforts in awareness, education, and community engagement to ensure girls and women can manage menstruation safely and confidently.”
Adding further, Dr Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Central Railway, said: “As one of the country’s largest public service networks, carrying millions of people every day, Indian Railways believes that public institutions and public spaces can play an important role in driving social awareness and inclusion. Through this collaboration with Ujaas, we hope to encourage more open conversations around menstrual health and hygiene, and contribute towards building a more informed and supportive environment for women and girls, for better realisation of the potential”.
To date, Ujaas has impacted over 12 lakhs beneficiaries and distributed more than 4.8 million menstrual hygiene products across India. Programme assessments indicate measurable behavioural change, including a 48 percentage-point increase in rejection of menstrual myths among girls, a 38 percentage-point improvement in menstrual health awareness, and a 44 percentage-point increase in puberty awareness among boys — reinforcing the importance of inclusive, community-led menstrual health education that engages both girls and boys in building supportive attitudes around menstruation.
As conversations around menstrual equity continue to evolve nationally, the initiative highlights the importance of sustained awareness, education, and collaborative action in ensuring menstruation is addressed not through silence or stigma, but through dignity, confidence, and equal opportunity.
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