Walkathon held to raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health rights

A total of 325 students from government schools took part in a fundraising run in Chennai on Sunday to raise awareness about the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescent girls.

The Centre for Women Development and Research, in collaboration with 19 non-profit organisations, organised the fundraiser with schoolgirls to also raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene. “There are many cases where schoolgirls are unable to dispose of their used sanitary pads or there is no one to clear away the pile of sanitary pads in the bathroom. This would mean a lot of trouble for girls in public schools,” said KR Renuka, director of the Centre for Women’s Development and Research.

The fundraiser will be held in three more districts – Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu – and the demands will be submitted to the government in the coming weeks.

Commenting on the demands, she said: “There is a need for sound policies on sexual and reproductive rights that can prevent child marriage, sexual violence and discrimination. Educators, health professionals and law enforcement agencies must be trained and sensitized to support the rights of young women. In addition, sex education should be a mandatory part of the curriculum.”