THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an attempt to make government offices women friendly, the Government of Kerala, on Monday, February 15, issued directions to set up sanitary vending machines and incinerators at all government offices across the state. According to K K Shalaija, Minister of Health, Government of Kerala, the decision has been taken to make work environment in government offices women-friendly. She mentioned that the funds for this initiative will be allocated from the gender budget of the departments concerned.
In the initial phase, napkin vending machines are to be installed in all the major offices and other government offices where majority of the workforce are women. The government of Kerala in 2018 had brought out a new health policy, which made sanitary napkin vending machines and sanitary disposal facilities mandatory in education institutions from upper primary level. The decision was taken after noticing the troubles menstruating women faced at their workplace.
The installation of incinerators for disposal of sanitary napkins comes as an additional and welcome feature of the decision for it will ensure right treatment and management of disposed sanitary napkins.