Bridging the Gender Gap towards Inclusive Social Growth: Role of Self-Help Groups in Menstrual Health Awareness and Practices among Tribal Adolescent Girls in Selected Blocks of Jalpaiguri, Purulia, and Bankura Districts of West Bengal

In India, with a traditionally patriarchal society, women were seen struggling and fighting hard to make their voices heard in social, economic, and political spheres, as well as in individual health decision-making spheres. However, for national development, gender equality and women's empowerment have always remained a priority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi states that a woman’s stride is the defining feature of a nation’s leading development. PM Modi noted that ‘Nari Shakti’ is the prerequisite for India’s economic growth. Under PM Modi, India’s focus has moved from women's development to women-led empowerment. Globally, the UNDP Human Development Report (2010) defines the development of a nation as expanded by emphasizing the importance of access to essential life services. But women's empowerment should not only concentrate on making women economically self-sufficient, but also on maintaining women's health, particularly their vaginal health, which should be the priority of India, especially when India is designated as ‘Bharat Mata.’ Vaginal diseases such as UTIs and other infectious diseases are common among women with poor menstrual hygiene, and this is quite common among women in the tribal communities. Women, comprising half of the world's population, are often left out of basic needs such as improved and affordable access to sanitation and menstrual hygiene facilities. Reaching out to these basic health necessities is crucial for the sound health of every woman. Also, it represents one of the major goals of Sustainable Development Goal 6, which is “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. Nevertheless, realizing this goal poses considerable challenges for numerous countries, including India, especially in the case of tribal women, who constitute almost half of the tribal population (about 5.20 crore as per the 2011 Census of India). Improvement of health, getting access to improved and affordable sanitation, and maintenance of menstrual hygiene for them should be the best way for the betterment of sound health and increased participation in educational institutions, leading to improved literacy and economic status of the tribal community. Especially, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) play a crucial and transformative role in improving women’s menstrual health, awareness, and practices in India, particularly in rural regions. From giving a safe space for women to discuss menstruation openly, its difficulties, challenging deep-rooted taboos, and stigma, to organizing workshops, training, and peer-to-peer learning, SHGs can educate families on menstrual hygiene and safe practices, reproductive health, and menstrual disorders, myths vs. facts related to menstruation. This shall surely contribute to achieving inclusive social growth that may include all women of tribal societies. This research article aims to critically assess menstrual health-related awareness, traditional knowledge, and practices related to menstrual hygiene of adolescent girls of tribal households. About trying to limit the gender gap that exists between tribal men and women, or degenderize the social taboos that exist in the way of spreading awareness, the article aimed to focus on the role of Self-Help Groups in improving women’s menstrual health, awareness, and practices, targeting selected districts of West Bengal with the highest tribal population.