LET’S KICK OFF THE DIALOGUE ON MENSTRUAL HEALTH

Real Relief, Global Goals World Cup and UNYA Denmark in kicking off this transnational dialogue on menstrual health and hygiene, to mark the International Menstrual Hygiene Day on the 28th of May, 2021. This day encourages everybody to break the silence and tackle the stigmas and taboos that are often associated with a girls’ period. With your help, we are encouraging the dialogue throughout the month of May. As such, we are going to zoom in on the biggest challenges related to menstrual health and hygiene in each country. We will do so through a virtual campaign and by symbolically kicking an SDG football from country to country!

The difficulties facing girls and women across the world in relation to menstrual hygiene are numerous and unacceptable. The topic of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) continues to be a taboo subjected to shame and stigma. The lack of access to information, education, and products to manage one’s period with dignity and pride are essential.

More than 130 million girls worldwide are missing out on school. Some of the reasons are lack of information and education on MHM, a lack of sanitary menstrual hygiene products, period poverty, and a lack of sanitary toilet facilities. Ultimately, this puts girls and women at risk of infection and disease, of early pregnancy, and of missing out on an education. In some societies, girls and women are considered “unclean” while on their period, and thus for that reason excluded from school as well as from other social events. 

Altogether, girls and women are faced with barriers excluding them from parts of society, and we all share a responsibility to break these barriers down for good. In doing so, we are not only investing in the future of our girls and women, but just as much in the economic development of local communities and countries.

With this campaign, we share a common goal of putting menstrual hygiene on the agenda. We will do so with reference to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (SDGs). As we kick off the dialogue, we aim to improve girls and women’s rights and opportunities for quality education, improve gender equality, and improve safely managed sanitation (SDG 4, 5 and 6).

Let’s kick off the dialogue together - we need your help within the countries to help us spread the word.

Please contact me directly on ts@realreliefway.com if you want to join our campaign.

Thank you,

Trine