Mumbai police has joined hands with an NGO to launch a special project for its women personnel. Under this initiative, over 100 sanitary pad vending machines will be installed at 93 police stations across the city.
“Women constitute nearly 20 percent of the total police force in Mumbai. This should be the basic facility at the workplace, as periods are natural and unpredictable.” Deputy Commissioner Of Police Niyati Thakur told ANI.
“I hope other public and private organizations also come up with this facility for women at their workplace,” she added.
The project, Smart Maitrin (female friend in Marathi), was kicked off with the installation of a sanitary vending machine at the headquarters of the Mumbai Police last week.
Officials said that the project was the brainchild of Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve and has been initiated in collaboration with the NGO Maitrin, The Hindu reported.
“We have identified a total of 140 spots under our commissionerate where these machines will be installed. The installation work has already begun and will be complete soon.” Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Manjunath Singe told The Hindu.
The maintenance and refilling of sanitary napkins in the vending machine has reportedly been automated to avoid shortage. The welfare of women personnel has for long been on the list of priorities for the Mumbai Police. In 2015, Zonal DCPs started holding monthly meetings with women personnel in their respective zones to hear their grievances. They were urged to to speak out if they were facing any form of harassment and also asked to raise concerns about lack of basic facilities and issues with delegation of duties.
