26 million girls can be at risk of dropping out of school

You’re seated at your desk as a teacher passes by, placing a question paper in front of you. Instead of mathematics questions that let you finally show off your knowledge about fractions, everything is written in a language you don’t understand. Oh, and you have no pen and only 20 minutes remaining on the clock. There are certain adolescent nightmares that unite us all. But for some young girls, a lack of period education makes menstruation, a natural bodily process, more frightening than any pop quiz. 

Girls are now starting their periods as young as eight years old, and there’s a growing need to create awareness and share correct information at an early age. Without proper knowledge and access to menstrual products, young girls face increased absenteeism and higher dropout rates from school. Studies* have found that 26 million girls can be at risk of dropping out of school due to poor knowledge about their bodies and lack of access to period products.

The statistics are alarming, and Whisper is tackling them head-on, using a creative and impactful approach to spread awareness. Recognising the power of music, as a part of the fifth edition of its #KeepGirlsInSchool (KGIS) movement, Whisper collaborated with two of India’s most beloved singers, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal, for an innovative method of period education. They have created India’s own period song, which went live on World Menstrual Hygiene Day, May 28th.

This upbeat song demystifies menstruation for young minds, leaving them with a powerful message – ‘Periods ka matlab healthy hain aap (having periods means you’re healthy)’.

Whisper’s initiative aims to equip them with the necessary information and resources to manage their periods confidently, ensuring they stay in school and continue their education without interruption. Over decades, the brand’s Keep Girls In School program has taught over 100 million schoolgirls and mothers about menstruation and menstrual hygiene products and provided free sanitary napkins to young girls. 

Through the universal language of music, Whisper’s latest campaign educates and empowers young girls, making periods a natural part of growing up; a melody to sing along with your daughter, niece or sister that reassures them that their bodies should be embraced and not feared.

*Based on Dasra report by USAID & Kiawah Trust, UNESCO UNFA ASRO report: ‘The precocious period: the impact of early menarche on schooling in India’ 2019 68 p.