Ryukoku University, in collaboration with Kyoto City and Oitel Co., Ltd., which operates a facility that provides free sanitary napkins, will try to install "OiTr" in Kyoto municipal schools and use it for health guidance for children. Installation of "OiTr" in a public school is the first attempt in Japan.
From May 2023, 5 (Tuesday), “OiTr” was installed at Higashiyama Izumi Elementary and Junior High School (Higashiyama Ward), Saikyo High School Attached Junior High School, and Saikyo High School (both in Nakagyo Ward), and students began using it.When used at schools, sanitary napkins will be distributed and educational content that will lead to knowledge and information about menstruation will be distributed on the digital signage attached to the equipment.The aim is to create an environment in which children and students can obtain correct knowledge about menstruation, etc., and can easily consult without having to deal with it alone.
The decision to start this initiative was based on a preliminary survey of female junior and senior high school students and interviews with Ryukoku University students. That is the background.
According to a survey* of 608 female students at junior and senior high schools in Chiba Prefecture, 80% of the female students answered that "menstruation has an impact on their studies and exercise."In addition, about 30% of them have revealed that they do not consult about menstrual disorders.Furthermore, in interviews with Ryukoku University students, there were opinions such as, "Because menstruation varies from person to person, it is difficult to talk to parents about it," and "There is little information about menstruation. I don't know."For these reasons, Ryukoku University, the Kyoto City Board of Education, and Eutel held discussions and decided to implement this initiative.
At Ryukoku University, in June 2020, we will support research and social activities for the regional implementation of social business, and develop leaders, etc. Started efforts to solve menstrual poverty at the “Ryukoku University Yunus Social Business Research Center”, which is working onAfter that, we signed a "collaboration agreement to promote efforts to eliminate gender gaps and economic disparities" with Oitel, and have been implementing the installation of "OiTr" on campus and the development and distribution of educational content.
In addition, Kyoto municipal schools have provided hygiene guidance to children with problems related to menstruation by distributing sanitary napkins in the infirmary, etc., and have also dealt with content related to menstruation in classes. .
In the future, we will proceed with effective support for children and students who have problems with menstruation, etc., based on investigations of the operation status of the devices installed on a trial basis and interviews with related parties.Also, based on the results of the verification, we will consider the deployment of "OiTr" to other schools that wish to install it in the city.
*FY28 Japan Sports Agency commissioned project "Project for measures to improve children's physical strength, menstrual-related diseases and school life" (Endometriosis information station)
