2 months ago
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Kolhapur zila parishad (ZP) successful Maharashtra has acceptable up ‘pink rooms’ successful each 833 of its schools to make harmless spaces for girls to speech astir menstrual wellness and negociate their carnal wellness needs.
The ZP launched the task connected November 5, 2025, and ensured that each 833 schools successful Kolhapur territory had a dedicated pinkish country by December 30 successful the aforesaid year. It funded the inaugural done nationalist participation, gram panchayats, alumni associations, charitable individuals and institutions, and allocations from the 15th Finance Commission, among different sources.
“The conception has benefited girls arsenic they tin pass freely with each different and with teachers, go alert of their bodily changes, and it has helped america amended attendance successful the schools. Kolhapur is simply a progressive district, but the dropout complaint present is high. The thought is to supply abstraction to girls during schoolhouse hours to remainder alternatively than going home,” said Kolhapur ZP CEO Karthikeyan S.
‘Time to rest’
Gita Yuvraj Patil, parent of Karthiki Patil, a Class 7 pupil astatine Longhe zila parishad schoolhouse successful Kolhapur’s Gaganbawada taluka, pointed retired that girls present get clip to remainder successful schoolhouse alternatively of bunking the full day. “The installation is good equipped. My girl utilized to travel location to alteration her sanitary napkin during her monthly rhythm due to the fact that of the inconvenience astatine school. Now, she is utilizing the installation astatine the schoolhouse and is besides capable to dispose of the utilized pads,” she added.
For Pallavi Patil from Longhe colony and Sarika Bhosale from Abdullat colony successful Shirol taluka, the pinkish country was much astir an instauration to menstrual cycles. “In the room, I learned astir periods. When I got my archetypal period, I was astatine school. I visited the room, got sanitary pads, and past attended classes,” said Pallavi. Sarika is alert of menstrual cycles and knows what to bash erstwhile they occur.
Library, flex boards
According to the Kolhapur ZP, a fewer parents connected the schoolhouse absorption committee (SMC) complained that teachers sent students location implicit insignificant wellness issues which tin beryllium addressed astatine the schoolhouse level. As a solution, the conception of the pinkish country was suggested. Among the 833 schools, astatine slightest 38 person innovative pinkish rooms that see a library, integer flex boards, and nutritious nutrient for girls, specified arsenic peanuts, jaggery, dates, raisins, chickpeas, and more.
“Some gram panchayats similar Pirachiwadi successful Kagal taluka person dedicated an full gathering wherever girls tin relax, read, study, and person privacy. The pinkish country has incinerators, a banal of sanitary pads, ayurvedic medicines, nutrient items, and different facilities. We person besides asked healthcare workers to sojourn occasionally and supply consultations,” said Primary Education Officer Meena Shendkar.
Schools with infrastructural constraints person the enactment to disagreement classrooms utilizing curtains oregon plywood.
“Teenage girls spell done physical, mental, and affectional changes arsenic they scope puberty, during which they request a pinkish country to conscionable their wellness needs, get rest, and person guidance successful a safe, clean, and affable environment,” said Mr. Karthikeyan.
As portion of the initiative, the ‘Kishori Samvad Abhiyan’ was implemented successful September 2025 to supply assistance to students successful schools with nary pistillate teachers. In 618 superior schools successful Kolhapur territory wherever determination are lone antheral teachers, pistillate teachers from adjacent schools are expected to be the allocated schools erstwhile a week connected Saturdays and usher girls connected the carnal changes.
