New Delhi: Common Services Centers, through its initiative for women’s health and hygiene, named ‘Stree Swabhiman’ is striving to create a sustainable model for providing affordable and accessible sanitary products close to the homes of adolescent women and girls in rural areas. The initiative is driven by awareness and personalized outreach by women entrepreneurs who produces and market sanitary napkins themselves. The initiative aspires to play its part in reducing gender divide in access to development opportunities for women and girls which sadly affects access to education, health and workforce participation.
Under Stree Swabhiman initiative for women’s health and hygiene, women entrepreneurs have become symbols of empowerment for women and girls in their communities. Till date, 278 Sanitary Napkin Micro Manufacturing Units have been successfully set up by these Women VLEs. The sanitary napkin produced by these units not only suits the needs of low-income communities, but are also bio-degradable and thus environment friendly. Besides, these are made easily accessible to rural communities. Apart from boosting women’s health and hygiene, this initiative also provides employment opportunities to women in rural communities as each facility employs 5-7 women. Besides this, women VLEs also create awareness, access and affordability.
In furtherance the objective of women health and hygiene, CSC SPV has installed Sanitary Vending Machines in MeitY Women Restrooms. This will benefit women employees availing Sanitary Pads in the ministry. Based on the success and learning of this initiative, further similar vending machines will be installed at the other Public and Private institutions.
