Chaitali Joshi
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Today, on Shashthi, devotees worship Maa Katyayani, revered as the fierce advocate of justice, the destroyer of injustice, and protector of the innocent. Her courage inspires those who fight for what is right, and today we celebrate that same spirit in real-life champions of justice.
A lawyer, Nikita Gore, recognized the critical importance of menstrual hygiene for young girls just beginning menstruation. Understanding the need for awareness about sanitary pads and proper hygiene, she filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to highlight the issue and push for effective menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in schools.
The PIL and Its Impact
Nikita’s PIL in the Bombay High Court raised concerns over the failure of central and state governments to ensure clean toilets, sanitary pads, and proper disposal facilities in government-aided schools across Maharashtra. The petition also emphasized that sanitary pads should be treated as an essential item and made available at ration shops at fair prices, ensuring affordability for all girls. Unhygienic washrooms were cited as a major reason for girls dropping out of school.
Following court orders, the Maharashtra District Legal Services Authority (MDLSA) surveyed 235 schools across 12 districts, covering both urban and rural areas. The findings were alarming: 207 schools had below-standard toilets, many lacked basic facilities such as buckets, mugs, and sanitary pads, and only a few had sanitary pad vending machines, most of which were non-functional. Encouragingly, some Zilla Parishad schools took note of the issue and began improving facilities.
The Bombay High Court expressed deep concern, questioning why no policy had been framed to address the problem and highlighting that rural schools could be in an even worse state. The bench directed both the petitioners and the state government to review the MDLSA report and scheduled a further hearing.
While the PIL has not immediately solved the problem, it drew widespread attention to menstrual hygiene in schools and compelled the government to review policies and respond. Nikita’s initiative aims to ensure that adolescent girls can manage their menstrual health with dignity and safety. Her efforts sow hope for meaningful change in how society addresses menstrual hygiene and girls’ education in Maharashtra.
Just as Maa Katyayani inspires us to fight injustice, Nikita shows that even a single thought, turned into action, can make a huge difference.
"Even for an earning woman, purchasing a sanitary pad can sometimes be costly, and this affects those with no income even more. Sanitary pads are essential for a woman’s health and hygiene. We often see that government schools are not clean enough, creating chaos for children, especially girls. In some rural areas, girls still use cloth during menstruation, which can be dangerous to their health. This PIL was a step to draw attention to these critical issues faced by women and girls."
— Adv. Nikita Gore