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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stressed that girls should not give up education because of the lack of sanitary napkins and functional, gender-segregated toilets in schools, while asking the Centre to ensure that its directions on the issue are implemented effectively in letter and spirit.“Make good use of it. It is for the good of women and girls of this country. Girls should not give up education and sit at home and do some domestic work only for this reason,” a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan observed.The remarks came while the court was reviewing compliance with its landmark January 30 judgment aimed at ensuring gender justice and educational equity in schools across the country.In that verdict, the apex court had directed all states and Union Territories to provide free oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins to girl students and ensure functional, gender-segregated toilets for all students in schools, whether government-run, aided or private.The court had also said, “The right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to menstrual health. Access to safe, effective and affordable menstrual hygiene management measures helps a girl child attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health.”It had further observed that the right to a healthy reproductive life includes access to education and information about sexual health, adding that the absence of menstrual hygiene facilities denied girls equal participation in schools and affected their opportunities later in life. On Monday, the Centre informed the court that the January 30 judgment had led to galvanisation of efforts in all states and Union Territories. Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, appearing for the Centre, referred to a summary of compliance with the directions issued by the court.“Now, it is for you to make the most of it and see that as far as possible, the benefits are extended in terms of our judgment,” the bench told the law officer.The court said the Centre should continue guiding states to ensure proper implementation of its directions.“The Union should keep guiding all the states in this regard. The Union should periodically keep collecting the necessary data and information from all the states as regards due compliance of our directions,” the bench said.The apex court said it would continue monitoring compliance every three months and directed the Centre to file a fresh progress report at the same interval. It also directed all states to submit their status reports to the Centre by August 15.The matter has been posted for further compliance reporting on September 1.During the hearing, one of the advocates referred to an interim application and said the use of the term “oxo-biodegradable” sanitary napkins in the judgment was counterproductive to the environment. The bench asked the advocate to raise the issue with the law officer.In its January 30 judgment, the top court had directed that all schools in urban and rural areas provide free oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins manufactured in compliance with ASTM D-6954 standards.It had also said sanitary napkins should be made easily accessible to girl students, preferably through vending machines inside toilet premises or at designated places within schools.On toilet and washing facilities, the court directed authorities to ensure that every school had functional, gender-segregated toilets with usable water connectivity.
