World Menstrual Hygiene day is celebrated on the 28th of May every year. Abbreviated as MH day, it aims to raise awareness and combat taboos associated with menstrual hygiene so that girls and women around the world are not restricted from realising their true potential.
The theme this year 2019 is “It’s Time for Action,” which is suggestive of the urgency of this public health issue and also highlights the potential it has to empower women and girls around the world. Increased awareness on Menstrual hygiene can have a transformative effect on the education and economic opportunities for girls and women, especially in a country like India where as many as 23 million girls drop out of school due to lack of availability of sanitary napkins and awareness about menstruation (according to a 2014 NGO report).
Recognising MH Day on a global platform brings together non-profits, government agencies, the private sector, the media, and individuals to advocate for and promote the importance of proper menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
Inspired by real events, movies like ‘Padman’ and the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary, ‘Period. End of a Sentence’ showcase the story of exceptional individuals who have made a difference in remote villages. This gives hope that normalising Menstruation and menstrual hygiene is a task we are prepared to undertake as a society.
Here, are a few facts about Menstrual hygiene and why the status quo has to change.
What does menstruation mean to you? Do you twitch a bit or sit uncomfortably at the mere mention? Want to share your experience? write to us at [email protected], remember to hashtag #MenstrualHygieneWeek
