International Journal of Contemporary Research in Multidisciplinary

Abstract:

Menstrual health and hygiene are essential for every woman, including adolescent girls, to ensure their well-being and empowerment. On any given day, there are more than 300 million women worldwide who are menstruating. However, little focus has been placed on those working in informal or unorganized sectors. Women’s health concerns are generally less represented in basic and transitional research. Menstrual health management remains poor among lower-income families, especially those who are the daily wage earners. Menstrual health needs of women who are working in unorganized sectors (street vendors, shopkeepers, maidservants, etc.) go unmet due to a lack of access to menstrual health and hygiene. It is crucial for all women, including adolescent girls, to ensure their well-being and empowerment. On any given day, there are over 300 million menstruating women worldwide. However, little attention has been given to those working in informal or unorganized sectors. Women's health concerns are generally underrepresented in basic and transitional research. Menstrual health management remains poor among lower-income families, especially those who are daily wage earners. Women working in unorganized sectors, such as street vendors, shopkeepers, and maidservants, have unmet menstrual health needs due to a lack of access to essential services like toilets, poverty, and cultural taboos. Despite being in the 21st century, cultural taboos still restrict women from participating in auspicious occasions or worship, as seen in the well-known Sabarimala temple case in Kerala. To manage their periods, girls and women need access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and hygienic menstrual materials, as well as information on best practices and an environment where they can manage menstruation without stigmatization. Given this context, the present research aims to analyze how menstrual health impacts women's economic background and explore the cultural taboos practised by women. Furthermore, it seeks to investigate how women maintain hygiene during menstruation. The research is primarily a purposive study based on qualitative and quantitative data from a sample size of 20 women residing in Gorabazar, Berhampore, Murshidabad. The research findings are analyzed using both primary and secondary data.

Keywords:

Menstrual health, Unorganized sectors, Hygiene and Cultural taboos, Economic background

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Methods