Anational conference on menstrual health is a different kind of conversation. It is not about convincing individuals to switch products. It is about shaping the conditions — policy, funding, narrative, infrastructure — that make the switch possible for everyone.
Anju Bist joined a panel of experts and policymakers to speak about reusable menstrual health — where India stands, what the barriers are, and what would need to shift for reusables to move from a niche choice to the mainstream. The session was moderated by an editorial head from NDTV, bringing national media visibility to a topic that is still too often absent from mainstream health coverage.
What the Panel Heard
The argument for reusables is no longer just an environmental or economic one — it is a health argument. As evidence linking chemical exposure from disposable pads to hormonal disruption accumulates, the case for a policy-level shift becomes harder to dismiss. Anju made that case directly: the women Saukhyam works with did not switch because of a marketing campaign. They switched because someone explained the difference between what was available and what was possible.
- National panels create policy adjacency — conversations that can influence government procurement
- Media visibility normalises the topic and reduces the stigma of public discussion
- Anju's testimony represents 30 lakh women and girls reached through Saukhyam's REACH programme
- Menstrual health policy has been moving — Karnataka, Bihar, and UPSRLM are proof
“Every time I speak on a national stage, I am speaking for women who will never have a seat at that table. That is not pressure. It is purpose.”
- Anju Bist, Managing Director, Saukhyam Foundation
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