Low Cost, Convenient & Eco-Friendly Sanitary Napkin Production – collaborative effort (CSR)

Overview

The main aim of the project is economic empowerment and entrepreneurship development by creating opportunity for employment generation. It will also improve the health of underprivileged women, adolescent girls and victim of violence by giving them access to low-cost sanitary napkins in rural communities.

In terms of sexual and reproductive health rights menstruation is always an important issue for women and girls (age 9 to 45). It is observed that menstruation has always been a taboo in Bangladesh. Many women/girls are not aware of the functioning of their reproductive health and hygiene. Having said that, one of the biggest issues that women face in countries like Bangladesh is the inability to afford basic essential products such as sanity napkins, they also lack the basic knowledge and understanding of their sexual, reproductive health and rights (SRHR). In Bangladesh 70% of the marginalized women do not use sanitary napkins, because they are unaware of the good hygienic practices. They generally use old torn cloths which are not hygienic, leading to different types of genealogical problems and sexual transmitted dieses (STD) which causes absence from work. This is imperative to work and innovative project which is creating full biodegradable low-cost sanitary napkins, which will enhance the reproductive health of adolescent girls and women (working class, disabled including rural women). Around 4 million women are working in RMG Industry which contributes 81% of the total export earnings and 13.8% of GDP. 85% of the total work forces in this industry are women. “Policy brief of UN impact of Covid-19 on Women” the report published by UN in April 2020. It stated that across every sphere, from health to the economic security to social protection, the impacts of Covid-19 are exacerbated for women and girls simply by virtue of their sex. It elaborates further that economic, social and health impact of the pandemic on women and girls. It compounded economic impacts are felt especially by women and girls who are generally earning less, saving less and holding insecure jobs or living close to poverty.

These have an adverse effect on the majority of women in the country, such as physical, psychological and also economic loss for the women. In a country where there are 102.25 males per 100 females, it is extremely important to not only create awareness of their basic rights especially for women in the rural areas but also make hygienic solutions affordable for them and this is the basic essence of this project.

DIPTO’s Vision
Keeping the above issues in mind DIPTO is planning to map out a solution to these issues and is endeavoring to establish a low-cost sanitary napkin factory preferably adjacent to garment factories or separate space. The product is mainly aimed for the use of the female workers, borrowers and their communities. It’s close vicinity to the factories and low cost compared to the products available in the market will likely result in high consumption of the product by the target beneficiaries.
The main aim of the project is economic empowerment and entrepreneurship development by creating opportunity for employment generation. It will also improve the health of underprivileged women, adolescent girls and victim of violence by giving them access to low-cost sanitary napkins in rural communities.