Countries like India still consider menstruation a taboo topic, and about half of the people experience it. Across both rural and urban areas, many girls and women continue to face social stigma, limited access to hygienic menstrual products, poor awareness, and inadequate sanitation facilities.

Despite making people aware of this, India is still struggling with a menstrual hygiene crisis, especially in underserved communities. Below are some important menstrual health statistics from the past two years that highlight both the progress made and the challenges that remain.

Menstrual health data 2024-25: 

Recent research from 2024 to 2025 highlights both progress and persistent challenges in menstrual hygiene in India.

• In 2024, 76.2% of women aged 15–24 report exclusive use of hygienic period products.
• Data from 2024 shows that in urban areas, women between the ages of 15 and 24 use 89.4% of exclusive hygienic sanitary products, and in rural areas, the percentage was 72.3%.
• Some data also shows that 22.7% of women aged between 15 and 24 use only unhygienic methods, while 27.5% use both hygienic and unhygienic methods. 
• Data also shows that India is improving in the area of menstrual hygiene. Now, in 2025, about 78% of women aged 15 to 24 are using clean and safe menstrual products like sanitary pads, tampons, or menstrual cups. However, many women still use unhygienic options like old clothes, which can cause health problems.

Some other research data show the situation of menstrual hygiene in India:

• There are 36% of menstruating women in India who use sanitary napkins regularly.
• It also shows that 71% of girls in India do not know about menstruation before their first period.
• It is a matter of concern that every year, 1 in 5 girls skips school during their periods due to shame or lack of access to pads/toilets.
• It shows that even with progress in gaining, there are still many challenges to overcome, especially in villages and poor areas.

The Role of NGOs: Driving Grassroots Change

Many NGOs are working on it and doing grassroots changes. These NGOs not only give sanitary pads but also spread awareness, educate people about health and hygiene, and empower women. They work in places where the government often can’t reach—like tribal areas, slums, disaster-affected regions, and schools without toilets.

Let’s take a look at some of the top NGOs that are bringing positive change in menstrual hygiene in India.

1. Goonj – a voice an effort

Goonj is a well-known NGO that addresses rural development issues by transforming urban waste into usable products. The initiative taken by it is “Not Just a Piece of Cloth.” In this, Goonj collects old but clean cotton clothes, repurposes them into MY Pads, and distributes them in rural and slum areas.

Goonj takes some steps to support this situation:

Key Highlights:

• There are lakhs of MY Pads distributed in disaster-hit and backward regions across India, including during floods, earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It also promotes a “dignity-first” approach, ensuring that women don’t feel like they are receiving charity but rather participating in a community-led solution.

• Goonj also encourages community engagement through workshops and awareness sessions, helping break deep-rooted menstrual taboos and myths.
• To develop the creation of employment and skills, it helps the local women’s group to make pads.

2. Pinkishe Foundation

Pinkishe Foundation was founded in 2017. This foundation is one of the leading non-profit organizations based in New Delhi,  working passionately to revolutionize Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) across the country. Pinkshe educates, empowers, and provides equipment to women and adolescent girls about menstrual health hygiene, and tries to break the taboo.

This foundation helps to provide menstrual education and sanitary solutions to schools and colleges, distributes menstrual products, and has strong collaborations with both national and global partners. Their mission is clear: to create a stigma-free, informed, and dignified experience for every menstruator in India.

Key Highlights:

• Reached thousands of girls and women through workshops and school programs on menstrual health.
• Provides sanitary pads to poor and remote areas to support clean and safe periods.
• Organizes sessions to break period myths and encourage open talks about menstruation.
• Works with Indian and international groups to make long-term menstrual health changes.
• Spreads #PeriodPositivity to help people accept periods without shame or fear.

3. SK Vision Foundation

SK Vision Foundation, originally registered as Skinrange Vision Foundation in 2013, is dedicated to uplifting underprivileged and marginalized communities across India. The organization serves people in various ways, with a strong focus on promoting menstrual hygiene among underserved groups.

Over the past few years, we have actively worked in slum areas across Delhi NCR—including Nathupur in Gurugram by distributing sanitary pads, conducting awareness seminars, and helping break the stigma surrounding menstruation.

We continue to reach out to slum-dwelling women and girls, visit various organizations, and create open conversations around menstrual health, empowering them with knowledge, dignity, and support.

Key Key Highlights:

• Free sanitary pad distribution drives in government schools
• Awareness campaigns in local dialects to tackle myths and taboos
• Promotes menstrual cups and cloth pads for sustainable menstruation
• Providing free education to underprivileged children in India

4. Uninhibited (Formerly Sukhibhava Foundation)

This Uninhibited Foundation (Formerly Sukhibhava Foundation) is the foundation that works to focus on menstrual-related health conditions and improve them for long-term impact. Uninhibited works deeply in rural and marginalized communities, where menstrual irregularities, anaemia, PCOS, teenage pregnancies, and even mental health are linked to poor menstrual understanding. This also works for adolescent and destigmatization of menstruation and the cleanliness issue. 

Key Highlights: 

• Focuses on important menstrual health issues like PCOS, anaemia, and mental health, not just hygiene.
• Works with local communities, especially in villages, to support girls and women from weaker sections.
• Runs awareness programs to show how periods are connected to overall health.
• Helps girls and women understand their health problems, speak up, and get the right medical help.

5. Humanity Foundation

Humanity Foundation is another non-profit organization that works mainly for menstrual hygiene, peace, empathy, and gender equality through its various social initiatives. They also work for women’s empowerment and period destigmatization under the broader umbrella of community wellbeing.

This foundation encourages inclusive development through mental, cultural, and emotional growth by providing different platforms and methods to underserved areas. 

Key Highlights:

• It spreads awareness about menstrual hygiene and safe periods through regular campaigns.
• Actively supports women’s empowerment and gender equality in poor and remote areas.
• Runs programs for the care of elderly people, children, and other underprivileged groups.
• Promotes period positivity as part of its mission to build a kind and caring society.

Challenges Faced by NGOs

Despite progress, NGOs still face numerous challenges:

• These NGOs face Cultural silence & deep-rooted myths like “impurity” during periods
• In some parts, NGOs are still facing problems like a lack of toilets, running water, and disposal systems
• NGOS have to face the sustainability of free distribution vs long-term education
• There is a huge scarcity of Inadequate government support in rural areas

How You Can Support

These are some ways through which you can give your contribution to this menstrual movement:

1. Donate

Support NGOs like SK Vision Foundation, Goonj, or Menstrupedia by contributing financially. Your donations help them operate freely and expand their reach to serve more communities with menstrual products, education, and support.

2. Volunteer

Offer your time and skills by volunteering in awareness programs, school workshops, or sanitary pad distribution drives. Your participation can directly impact the lives of young girls and women in need.

3. Sponsor a Hygiene Kit

There is a severe shortage of menstrual hygiene products in underprivileged and low-income areas. By sponsoring a hygiene kit—including sanitary pads, underwear, soap, and educational material—you can help girls manage their periods safely and with dignity.

4. Talk Openly

Break the taboo by starting conversations at home, schools, and workplaces. Menstruation is natural, and open dialogue helps eliminate shame, misinformation, and stigma.

Conclusion: 

If you want to help society and give your contribution, then remember a pad is just the beginning. Menstrual hygiene is not just a health issue, but it’s about dignity, equality, education, and empowerment. With some of the committed organizations like SK Vision Foundation, India is seeing a positive shift toward a world of menstrual hygiene where no girl suffers during their period, no girl misses school, or suffers shame for something as natural as her period.

But this mission needs more hands and hearts to make this movement successful.
Because when we give a girl access to menstrual hygiene, we give her the power to dream.