Sustainable Gender Equality

Please note: The terms “woman” and “man” include all masculine and feminine genders on the spectrum. It is not limited to biological or ideological appearances. These terms have been used for ease of the reader.

Modern-day feminism, or the battle for equality of all genders, has evolved since the beginning of its movement in 1848 ( dates vary). Equality does not stop at protests, liberation, and freedom of choice anymore. Even in 2021, the fight for basic access and fundamental rights continues. Socio-economic backgrounds, cultural influence, and urbanization are being re-examined from a gendered standstill.

We at SHARP believe that hygiene is of core importance. In everything that matters, a clean hygienic environment is of utmost importance. This is further seen when we examine health trends across genders. Hygiene issues, especially in rural parts of India, affect women much more disproportionately than men.

This could be for multiple reasons, including but not limited to, being unable to use water and sanitation services, due to limiting barriers. ; these barriers may be physical, institutional (such as a lack of information and participation in policy and program planning), attitudinal (such as stigmatization), or economic (they may be unable to pay for services).

Water and sanitation are regarded as basic human rights, incorporated in the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights. The denial of these rights leads women to neglect personal hygiene in ways that affect their environments negatively.

It is common for adolescent girls to quit their education once they begin their menstrual cycle. Girls are forced to walk extreme distances for access to toilets and communal water sources. Learning environments are not facilitating safe spaces for these girls. Adolescent girls, in particular, are disinclined to use dirty school toilets or lack privacy, especially when they are menstruating, and this affects their attendance

The taboo around the topic of menstruation leads to fear of voicing discomfort- often causing women to “hold in” their excretory waste and eating less. This causes UTIs ( urinary tract infections) and malnourishment.

The lack of education- especially with sanitary products- can lead to multiple infections and discomfort for women. Lack of education stems from unpaid labor work- many women are used as domestic help or in heavily labor-intensive industries. This leaves no time or importance for hygiene awareness.

Furthermore, countries with high maternal mortality rates are those where the burden of infectious diseases remains high, and health information and primary healthcare are difficult to access. Carrying water during pregnancy, for example, can cause reproductive health consequences such as uterine prolapse and other consequences to the baby. For the infant to survive its first three months, on mothers milk alone, clean water is key for both. Unhealthy breast milk can lead to HIV, undernutrition, and cognitive development delays later in life.

Equality cannot be achieved without recognizing these issues, as they are not mitigating factors to the path of gender equality.

We at SHARP believe three main these implementations will lead us in the right direction as a global superpower built out of safety, protection, respect, and hygiene

• Increase the number of toilets and other sanitary facilities, primarily focused on women and girls of reproductive age. This is in terms of accessibility, safety and regardless of economic and social strata

• Organizing awareness drives for both men and women about hygiene and safe Equipes during menstruation, as well as preaching the harmful effects of open defecation

• Equip schools to deal with any hygiene-related issues- from cleaner, toilets to free sanitary products. If healthy habits are implemented at a younger age, they will carry on into adulthood and help create a generational change.

We still have a long way to go before equality is achieved. But once again, we are confident that the hygiene sector can and will be seen to, as we educate and ingrain awareness in the youth.

This benefits society, individual growth, and entire sociological movements, much like feminism. Everything is interlinked and there is so much to achieve

Stay safe!

Maya Ribeiro

SHARP