Background

Within a country that is still developing like India, conversations about menstruation and reproductive health continue to remain heavily clouded by stigma, shame and lack of access to accurate, genuinely guiding information. Despite this being a natural and universal biological process, menstruation is still subject to numerous taboos that keep contributing to a cycle of misinformation, poor hygiene practices and health complications. 

This is particularly worse for young girls and women that reside in underserved communities. According to UNICEF, approximately 71% of girls in India remain completely unaware of menstruation until they experience their first period. What’s more? Around 23 million girls also drop out of school due insufficient support facilities and resources. 

The consequences of such unfortunate menstrual literacy standards are not just physical either. For they impact one’s self-esteem, opportunity to participate in daily life and in general feel equal to male counterparts. True change can only begin when there is room made for age-appropriate education, access to helpful resources and open dialogue. KnowBody was founded to address this very urgent need and work towards normalizing conversations around women’s reproduction and menstrual health through the help of easily-accessible awareness-centric information, hygiene tools and sensitization sessions. This humble project aims to create a safe space where young people can begin feeling comfortable asking questions, learning without hesitation and making choices that rise out of confidence and care.