The Supreme Court of India has strongly emphasised that girls should not be forced to discontinue their education due to the lack of sanitary napkins and proper gender-segregated toilets in schools.A Bench comprising Justices J.B.Pardiwala and R.

Mahadevan reiterated that menstrual hygiene is directly linked to a girl child’s right to education and dignity, and called upon the Centre and States to ensure effective implementation of earlier directions issued by the Court.

The observation came during a hearing on compliance with the Court’s January 30 judgment, which had mandated all States and Union Territories to provide free sanitary napkins in schools along with functional, gender-segregated toilets with adequate water facilities.The Centre informed the Court that some progress had been made, with States and Union Territories beginning to act on the directions.

However, the Bench expressed that compliance must not remain on paper and urged continuous monitoring and data collection from all States to ensure real implementation on the ground.The Court also directed the Union government to regularly gather compliance reports and guide States in executing the measures effectively.

The judgment had earlier recognised menstrual health as part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, noting that lack of menstrual hygiene management often leads to absenteeism and eventual dropout of girls from schools.

The Court also addressed concerns raised regarding the use of oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins and asked the authorities to examine environmental implications raised in an interim application.

Further, the Supreme Court stated it would continue monitoring compliance every three months and directed States to submit status reports through the Centre.The Ministry of Education has been designated as the nodal authority for compiling all reports.

The Court reiterated that ensuring menstrual hygiene facilities in schools is essential for gender equality, educational access, and the overall well-being of girl students across India.