Nearly 74% of Odisha schoolgirls miss classes during menstruation: Study

ISLAMABAD: A new assessment of menstrual health in the Indian state of Odisha has found that although most schools report having separate toilets for girls, gaps in basic hygiene support and social stigma continue to drive high levels of school absenteeism among adolescent girls, according to The Hindu. 

The study found that 94% of surveyed schools had separate toilets for girls. However, researchers noted that many of these facilities lacked essential menstrual hygiene support systems, including access to water and soap.

According to the findings, nearly 74% of female students reported missing between one and eight days of school during each menstrual cycle. The report identified pain and physical discomfort as the leading cause of absenteeism.

Beyond health-related factors, the study highlighted broader structural and social barriers affecting attendance. Lack of privacy in school toilets, inadequate sanitation facilities and persistent stigma surrounding menstruation were cited as ongoing challenges that discourage regular school participation among girls.

According to another report from Maqtoob Media, an independent Indian digital news outlet that focuses on human rights, 98,592 government schools in India's school education system still lack functional girls' toilets, while 61,540 institutions do not have any usable toilets at all.

The report raises concerns about basic facilities in government schools, exposing major gaps in the country’s education system. 

India has 1.5 million schools serving more than 247 million students.

The absence of adequate menstrual hygiene management in schools continues to undermine educational access, even where basic infrastructure, such as separate toilets, exists.

The findings point to a gap between infrastructure provision and functional usability, with many schools meeting basic requirements on paper but failing to provide conditions that support consistent attendance.

The report adds to growing concerns across parts of India about menstrual health and its impact on girls’ education, particularly in rural and underserved areas where stigma and limited resources remain deeply entrenched.