World Menstruation Day 2026: How can public washrooms be made menstruation-friendly?

Every time you start your period and know that you have to be outdoors for a long time, dread spreads in your body. This is because you know that most public washrooms are quite inaccessible and unhygienic to go into for a change. However, with no options available, many people pinch their noses and go in the space in the lack of anything else. However, with a high population of menstruating individuals in any country, especially India, it is the need of the hour to have public washrooms that can assist them when they are on their periods. And on World Menstruation Day, we take a look at how the public washrooms can be made menstruation-friendly for people.  

5 ways in which public washrooms can be made more menstruation-friendly

If these methods are implemented well, then menstruating individuals will not have to worry about staying outdoors for long hours.

Hourly maintenance of the public washrooms: It is impossible that a public washroom will not be dirty or kept untidy. But what is important is that the washrooms are cleaned properly every hour or after certain duration. This ensures a clean and tidy space for people to visit. This will also promote the use of sanitized washroom when in public.

Access to all people: Washrooms should be designed in such a way that there should be separate cabins for physically impaired individuals as well. If required, there should be space for their personal assistance to enter. This helps in making the space comfortable and usable for all kinds of people.

Privacy: The doors of each toilet cabin should have proper bolt or locks. This ensures that while a person is inside the cubicle, it can be locked properly for their safety and privacy.

Access to menstrual products: Public washrooms operate on a pay-per-visit model. Thus, either low-cost menstrual products can be installed free-of-cost or with a subsidized payment amount. Sanitary pads, menstrual cups, disposable pockets, fresh clean water, hand dryer, hand wash etc. are basic requirements that should be kept in mind while accessorizing a washroom.

Proper disposal system: No sanitation product should be flushed down the commode. There should be a proper disposal bin with bin liners that would make it comfortable for the user to use it and also community disposal vans to segregate it.  Apart from the washrooms, these disposable bins should also be cleaned regularly.    

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