Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed every year on May 28. In Today’s World, it is recognised globally that celebrates the importance of menstrual hygiene and breaks the taboo related to menstruation. The concept is very simple, it is about understanding menstrual health and knowing that it is about human rights, dignity, and public health. This year, one of the major sustainable development goals is to educate and change the conversations around menstrual health.
To keep women empowered, healthy, and to ensure their well-being, one should know the importance of good menstrual hygiene and how crucial it is in a woman’s life.
The theme for this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day is “Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld.” This time, the theme is to encourage people to come together and make the necessary changes so that menstruation doesn’t limit access to health, opportunities, and education. It also highlights how it is very important to break the stigma and the taboo that surrounds menstruation. This theme will help create a world where periods will be seen as something normal, and women can manage their periods with respect and dignity.
The day was first started by a German-based NGO, WASH United, in 2013 and was celebrated first time in 2014. This step was mainly taken for the countries that are still developing, where there is too much social anxiety when it comes to menstruation, not only by the society, but also the cost and availability of menstrual products.
One question that comes to many people’s minds is why it is important to talk about periods. The simple answer to this question is, in a country like India, there is always 1 in 5 women who are tied to the social norms, and are often misinformed about things related to periods, because, according to people, it is a shame to talk about menstruation. People often tend to create fear, taboos, and panic about something that is just a natural procedure.
According to the reports, on any given day, more than 300 million women worldwide are having their periods. But in total, if we estimate, there will be 500 million women who do not have proper access to menstrual products or proper hygiene facilities. According to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme 2012, menstrual hygiene management is defined as:
Women and adolescent girls are using a clean menstrual management material to absorb or collect menstrual blood, which can be changed in privacy as often as necessary, using soap and water for washing the body as required, and having access to safe and convenient facilities to dispose of used menstrual management materials. They understand the basic facts linked to the menstrual cycle and how to manage it with dignity and without discomfort or fear.”
The challenges that a women face during her periods are far more than the lack of basic products and necessities. It is the society that needs to be taught that this is just a natural process and a part of our lives; it in any way does not make a woman untouchable or impure. It is the cultural taboos that lead to shaming, isolation, gender discrimination, and practices that are unhygienic.
But together, the world can change, and make sure that every woman is feeling safe, healthy, and empowered when talking about Menstruation.
