Kolhapur ZP sets up ‘pink rooms’ in 833 schools to support girls’ menstrual health

Kolhapur ZP establishes ‘pink rooms’ in 833 schools to enhance girls' menstrual health and promote attendance and well-being.

Kolhapur zila parishad (ZP) in Maharashtra has set up ‘pink rooms’ in all 833 of its schools to create safe spaces for girls to talk about menstrual health and manage their physical health needs.

The ZP launched the project on November 5, 2025, and ensured that all 833 schools in Kolhapur district had a dedicated pink room by December 30 in the same year. It funded the initiative through public participation, gram panchayats, alumni associations, charitable individuals and institutions, and allocations from the 15th Finance Commission, among other sources.

“The concept has benefited girls as they can communicate freely with each other and with teachers, become aware of their bodily changes, and it has helped us improve attendance in the schools. Kolhapur is a progressive district, but the dropout rate here is high. The idea is to provide space to girls during school hours to rest rather than going home,” said Kolhapur ZP CEO Karthikeyan S.

Gita Yuvraj Patil, mother of Karthiki Patil, a Class 7 student at Longhe zila parishad school in Kolhapur’s Gaganbawada taluka, pointed out that girls now get time to rest in school instead of bunking the entire day. “The facility is well equipped. My daughter used to come home to change her sanitary napkin during her monthly cycle because of the inconvenience at school. Now, she is using the facility at the school and is also able to dispose of the used pads,” she added.

For Pallavi Patil from Longhe village and Sarika Bhosale from Abdullat village in Shirol taluka, the pink room was more about an introduction to menstrual cycles. “In the room, I learned about periods. When I got my first period, I was at school. I visited the room, got sanitary pads, and then attended classes,” said Pallavi. Sarika is aware of menstrual cycles and knows what to do when they occur.

According to the Kolhapur ZP, a few parents on the school management committee (SMC) complained that teachers sent students home over minor health issues which can be addressed at the school level. As a solution, the concept of the pink room was suggested. Among the 833 schools, at least 38 have innovative pink rooms that include a library, digital flex boards, and nutritious food for girls, such as peanuts, jaggery, dates, raisins, chickpeas, and more.