How a tactile book helps visually impaired women deal with their period


Menstrual hygiene bracelets and a tactile apron on the female reproductive system helps girls understand puberty

When 13-year-old Reema’s mother told her to change her clothes, she was confused. She had bathed and worn a freshly washed dress just moments ago. When her mother told her that her clothes had blood stains, Reema was only more confused. She could not see the stains, being visually impaired, and she could not understand why she should be bleeding when she had not injured herself in any way. Her mother tried to explain to her that this was a monthly occurrence in a female body, but it didn’t make things any clearer for Reema.

Reema is not alone in her confusion. Of India’s estimated 50,32,463 people with visual disabilities, 23,93,947 are women. If the silence and stigma around menstruation makes it hard for women with sight to manage their periods, it becomes far more challenging for the visually impaired. They are often pressured by their families to have their uterus removed so that they stop menstruating.

But now a tactile book in Hindi and English on menstrual hygiene management is helping these women visualise and understand their bodies and the physical changes that happen during puberty. There is also a video for the hearing impaired explaining the biology behind menstruation and telling them how to manage their period with dignity. This material has been developed by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) in collaboration with IIT Delhi, the Centre of Excellence in Tactile Graphics, Saksham Trust, and the Noida Deaf Society.....Read more

Source web page: The Hindu


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