Oscar win ‘ends shame over menstruation’

NEW DELHI: Giving an Academy Award to a documentary about periods set in India will help shatter the monthly shame that impacts millions globally, with some even dying in isolation while menstruating, health campaigners said.

The Netflix film Period. End of Sentence., set in a village in northern India, clinched the Oscar for best short documentary on Sunday, shining a spotlight on a topic rarely discussed openly in the country.

For many women in South Asia, especially adolescent girls, menstruation is shameful and uncomfortable.

From being barred from religious shrines to dietary restrictions to a lack of toilets and sanitary products that prevent them from going to school and work, they face many challenges when they have their periods, health experts say.

“Although this film shows a negative side of India, it will help trigger more conversation about periods – a natural bodily process that is usually talked about in hushed tones, if at all,” said Surbhi Singh, founder of Delhi-based Sachhi Saheli, a charity that raises awareness about menstrual health.

“This will help people look deep within themselves and, hopefully, make them realise how they treat menstruation.”

In rural areas, a lack of awareness and the high cost of pads mean many women instead use unsanitary rags, increasing the risk of infections and disease. — Reuters