Bhubaneswar: To improve the quality of life for female inmates within the high walls of jails, the state prison directorate has decided to install sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation Limited.
“We will launch a menstrual hygiene management system in 24 jails where napkin vending machines and incinerators will be installed for women inmates. The aim is to protect the health and hygiene of female prisoners besides addressing their dignity concerns,” director general (Prisons and Correctional Services) Arun Ray said on the sidelines of Prison Formation Day, coinciding with Human Rights Day on Tuesday.
The vending machines will provide easy access to sanitary napkins, while the incinerators ensure proper and hygienic disposal of used products. This system is likely to benefit the 558 female inmates, including 94 convicts, currently lodged in various prisons. The Nari Bandi Niketan in Sambalpur, dedicated exclusively to women prisoners, will be among the facilities receiving these installations.
The majority of women who are imprisoned are between the ages of 18 and 50, requiring menstrual hygiene in jails. Prison officials emphasise that maintaining menstrual hygiene was a persistent challenge within correctional facilities. The prison authorities plan to conduct awareness sessions about using the vending machines and incinerators properly. Regular maintenance schedules will ensure the equipment remains functional and serves its intended purpose effectively.
In 2020, the prisons directorate installed a napkin incinerator for proper disposal of sanitary pads. Though inmates are supplied with napkins under govt scheme, women in many prisons choose to purchase sanitary products from the prison canteens. Sometimes they ask their families for sanitary pads during mulaqaat (meeting).
“Besides promoting personal hygiene, the vending machines will also be of help to those women who shy and hesitate from asking family members for the product,” Sushama Mishra, a woman activist, said.