SDG 5: IIT Delhi students launch 'Stand Up For Yourself' campaign against dirty public toilets on Menstrual Hygiene Day

On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, an IIT Delhi incubated startup, Sanfe has launched a campaign for women to stand against dirty public toilets, by taking a pledge for not using the dirty public toilets.

For every sign up on the website, the Sanfe will be donating Rs 10 to the voluntary organisations for good maintenance of public toilets hence stop the spread of urinary tract infection in women. According to recent studies dirty toilets have been one of the main reasons for the urinary tract infection in women throughout the world.

With women making up for almost half of the total population, it is astonishing to witness at least one out of two women become a victim to Urinary Tract Infections at least once in their lifetime. Sanfe with the aim to empower women and spread awareness regarding UTI hopes to instil insight into women so that they refuse to settle with germs and infections prevailing inside the dirty public toilets.

According to recent studies around 71 per cent of Indian public washrooms not deemed safe to use, it is alarming to see how women could cope up with the existing state of public toilets with a lack of civic amenities. Hence, Sanfe came up with the campaign 'Stand Up for Yourself' against dirty public toilets to spread awareness in the society regarding UTI and how women can stop contracting UTI if they avoid using dirty public washrooms altogether. The campaign has been launched by a video over the digital platform where women have to take a pledge not to use dirty public washrooms and prevent the spread of Urinary Tract Infections, by sharing the video on the social media platforms.

Previously on the occasion of World Toilet day on 19th November 2018, Sanfe had earlier launched a Stand & Pee device for women that gives them the freedom to stand and urinate, hence avoiding infections like UTI from dirty public washrooms.

"It is sad to hear that 71% of public washrooms are not clean in India. All we can do is wait and hope for a Swachh India. Is it so? Our team does not think so and we are working hard to improve quality of life through product innovation through our incubation at IIT Delhi. We just not want to become the category leader but also the thought leader, with #StandUpForYourself initiative we tend to empower the women by giving them the platform to take stand against the social issues" said Mr Archit Agarwal, B. Tech 3rd year Textile Technology student and CEO of Sanfe. "We request women not just to get empowered by they have to empower other women too in the society, this will create an ecosystem, where all women would be viewed and treated equally," said Mr Harry Sehrawat, B. Tech 3rd year Textile Technology student and COO of Sanfe.

Earlier, Sanfe had introduced 'Stand & Pee' and 'Period Pain Relief Roll-On' to empower the women in our country and encourage them to choose healthy alternatives for their health and hygiene so that women's biology could not create any hindrance for them. In the upcoming months, sanfe is planning to introduce intimate sprays, like deodorants which will reduce the rashes and keep the intimate area fresh throughout the day, we believe in creating the solutions which improve the productivity of the women.