Sarah Nedolast’s Post

🌍 Menstrual Hygiene Day: A Call to Action for Affordable Sanitary Towels in Developing Countries Today, on Menstrual Hygiene Day, I wish to shine a spotlight on an issue that affects millions of women and girls worldwide: the accessibility and affordability of sanitary towels. In many developing countries, including Nigeria, the cost of sanitary products remains prohibitively high, leading to significant barriers for many women and girls. This lack of access not only impacts health and hygiene but also affects education, work, and overall quality of life. Why Affordable Sanitary Towels Matter: 1. Health and Hygiene: Proper menstrual hygiene is crucial for preventing infections and ensuring the overall well-being of women and girls. 2. Education: Many girls miss school during their menstrual cycle due to a lack of adequate sanitary products. Making these products affordable can help reduce absenteeism and improve educational outcomes. 3. Economic Participation: Women and girls who can manage their menstruation safely and with dignity are more likely to participate fully in the workforce and contribute to their communities' economic growth. 4. Dignity and Empowerment: Access to affordable sanitary products helps women and girls manage their menstruation with dignity, breaking the stigma and empowering them to lead confident lives. What Can Be Done? Government and Policy Initiatives: Government should consider reducing or eliminating taxes on sanitary products where applicable and subsidizing their cost to make them more affordable. Corporate Responsibility: Companies can play a crucial role by innovating to produce low-cost, high-quality sanitary products and engaging in social responsibility programs that distribute these products to underserved communities. Community Action: Local NGOs and community groups can raise awareness, provide education on menstrual hygiene, and distribute free or low-cost sanitary towels to those in need. Together, we can create a world where every woman and girl has access to the menstrual products they need to live healthy, dignified, and productive lives. Let’s advocate for policies and initiatives that prioritize menstrual health and hygiene, and work towards making sanitary towels super affordable in countries like Nigeria. #MenstrualHygieneDay #PeriodPoverty #AffordableSanitaryTowels #WomensHealth #EducationForAll #Empowerment

MENTRUAL HEALTH AND HYGIENE: BREAKING BARRIERS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN NIGERIA. Menstruation, a natural biological process, poses significant challenges for women and girls worldwide especially in African due to the lack of access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products. This issue is particularly acute in low-income communities, where managing menstrual hygiene not only affects physical health but also impacts education, dignity, and overall quality of life. The high cost of sanitary pads precisely in Nigeria has created barriers for many girls and women, leading to resorting to unhygienic practices with potential health risks such as cutting old clothes or rags into pieces, sprinkling water on old newspapers, leaves, and tissues, or staying at home and sitting in a bucket for a long period. These unhygienic practices expose them to a higher risk of infections and reproductive health issues but also contribute to feelings of shame, embarrassment, and stigma surrounding menstruation. Some of these women and girls do not also have undies (pants), especially during their periodic flow. It has become vital to address the barriers that hinder women and girls from accessing menstrual products and information, as these barriers directly impacts on her health, education, and overall well-being. Through collaborative efforts with the government and corporation organizations, we advocate for reducing the cost of sanitary pads and ensuring their accessibility through subsidies or free distribution in public schools, communities, markets, and places of worship. It is worthy to note that menstruation is a given, not a choice. Together, let us champion this course, break the silence surrounding menstruation, eradicate stigma, and empower every woman and girl in Nigeria to manage her menstruation with dignity and pride. Empowering women is not just essential; it is fundamental for societal progress and survival. African Women Mentoring and Inspiring Initiative (AWMII) engages with communities, churches, schools, marketplaces, and corporate organizations where women await positive impact and we play our part: we are committed to not only mentor but also provide free sanitary pads, conduct training on their use, and promote proper disposal, alongside other activities. We call on International Communities for Support. #Menstrual #Hygiene #Health #sanitary #pads

Here is one: If a girl misses school five days each month due to menstruation, she misses a staggering 60 days of education a year—often due to ingrained social norms that create shame and limit access to proper hygiene facilities. I am so proud to work on this piece with various stakeholders including Thorsten Kiefer, Janet Mbugua Hana Brixi and Saroj Kumar Jha, to showcase progress made in promoting menstrual hygiene and the impact on global development: https://lnkd.in/djsYEsNx #Menstrualhealth #menstrualhygiene, #MHDay2024, #PeriodFriendlyWorld

Menstrual health management (MHM) is a critical issue for every woman in their reproductive years. In Bangladesh, women face significant challenges in managing menstrual health, with only 20% of menstrual-age women currently using sanitary pads. While awareness and knowledge about MHM are on the rise, leading to increased use of MHM products across the country, comprehensive data on the MHM market in Bangladesh remains scarce. To this end, Innovision Consulting is partnering with WaterAid Bangladesh to conduct a landscape study on MHM products in Bangladesh. The study aims to generate evidence on the MHM product market in Bangladesh, evaluate product accessibility and availability, enhance culturally appropriate and user-centered menstrual health options, and improve menstrual hygiene education. Stay tuned for more updates on this important study. #MenstrualHealthBangladesh #MHMInnovation #PeriodPositive #beyondpossibilities

For the first time in history, we’re having open conversations about menstruation and global access to feminine hygiene products. Period equity will only be achieved through innovation. “… It is all about making sure that everyone who has periods can access necessary products..." Avni Ahuja, Period Pro from Emory University School of Medicine, is doing some great work. https://lnkd.in/eBPQdTsK #periodequity #MHDay2024 #femininehygiene

Happy World Menstrual Hygiene Day ✨. Today is an important day to highlight issues relating to menstrual health and hygiene In Nigeria, where I live, many women and girls face significant barriers in accessing quality sanitary products and this significantly affect different areas of health, education, and general wellbeing. Many girls have to turn to the use of clothes, foams, tissue papers and sometimes just cotton wool, which without proper hygiene may affect their health. Many also face barriers in accessing WASH facilities such as, good toilets, soap and even water for cleaning up in school and in their communities. All of this affect school attendance, active participation and sometimes promotes period stigma This is why as individuals and organizations, we all have roles to play in advocating for a more #periodfriendlyworld We can play our part by supporting local organizations that actually do the work e.g Advocacy for Adolescent and Youth Health (AFAYHealth) Initiative, where I lead the team to raise awareness and meet sanitary pads needs of adolescents We can also advocate and appeal to governments, individuals and organizations to make pads available in public spaces, workplaces, offices and schools We can also advocate for a reduction in the price of pads through reduced tax, funding innovative period product solutions and lots more Statistics show that over 500 million women and girls lack access to sanitary products across the world. Let me know how you are advocating for menstrual health in your corner and how you think we can do things better Happy #worldmenstrualhygieneday #periodfriendlyworld #menstrualhealth #menstruation #menstrualhygiene #adolescenthealth #unicefnigeria #unfpanigeria UNICEF United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) UNFPA West and Central Africa Theirworld GlobalGoals.community Nigeria Youth SDGs Network

Breaking Barriers: Menstrual Hygiene Day in Kenya As we observe World Menstrual Hygiene Day, it's vital to highlight the challenges many girls in Kenya face regarding menstrual health. The stigma, lack of access to sanitary products, and inadequate disposal methods are significant obstacles that need our attention and action. 🔴 Stigma and Education: Menstruation is often stigmatized, leading to embarrassment and isolation for many girls. Comprehensive menstrual health education is essential to break down these cultural barriers and empower girls with the knowledge they need. 🔴 Access to Sanitary Products: Many girls in Kenya cannot afford sanitary pads, relying on unsafe materials. While there have been efforts to provide free sanitary pads in schools, the supply is often inconsistent. We must advocate for affordable and accessible sanitary products for all girls. 🔴 Proper Disposal Methods: Even with access to pads, proper disposal remains a challenge. Schools frequently lack facilities for safe disposal, leading to health risks and environmental issues. Improved sanitation facilities are crucial. What Can We Do? - Advocate for better menstrual education: Support the inclusion of comprehensive menstrual health education in school curricula. - Support initiatives for affordable sanitary products: Promote and fund initiatives that provide affordable and reusable menstrual products. - Improve sanitation facilities: Push for the installation of adequate sanitation facilities in schools to ensure safe disposal of menstrual waste. - Engage in community conversations: Help break the stigma around menstruation by fostering open and supportive discussions within communities. Creating a period-friendly Kenya is not just about addressing the physical needs but also about changing the cultural narrative around menstruation. By working together, we can ensure that every girl in Kenya can attend school confidently, maintain her health, and achieve her full potential. Read through this article to understand more about the challenges and the steps we can take to make a difference: [Insert Link] Let’s use this day to spread awareness and support menstrual hygiene initiatives in Kenya and around the world! #MenstrualHygieneDay #EndPeriodPoverty #MenstrualHealth #EmpowerGirls #Kenya

Poor menstrual hygiene has far-reaching consequences: 📚 Education Disruptions: Girls in resource-poor settings often miss school due to challenges in managing menstruation, including lack of privacy and inadequate water and sanitation facilities, which negatively impacts their education. 😔 Stigma and Shame: Societal stigma around menstruation leads to shame and embarrassment, discouraging open discussions and hindering progress in menstrual health. ⚕️ Health Risks: Limited access to menstrual products and proper hygiene practices can cause infections and discomfort. At ACHAP, we view menstrual health as a critical health and human rights issue. Our actions towards integrating menstrual health in our cross-cutting interventions in women's health include: 🔹 Health-Centered Approach: Recognizing menstruation as a health issue with physical, psychological, and social dimensions, we aim to destigmatize it and promote holistic well-being throughout a person's life span. 🔹 Access and Empowerment: We advocate for providing access to menstrual products, water, sanitation, disposal facilities, and education. We emphasize competent and empathic care to ensure menstruation is seen positively. 🔹 Collaboration and Measurement: We encourage collaboration among policymakers, program managers, and humanitarian organizations to meet comprehensive menstrual health needs and stress the importance of monitoring and measuring the impact of these efforts. By advocating for menstrual health as a basic human right, ACHAP aims to create a more equitable world where girls and women can fully participate in education, work, and social activities without the burden of menstrual stigma and inadequate resources. Let's break the barriers and support menstrual health for all! 🌍💪 #MenstrualHygieneDay #MenstrualHealth #EducationForAll #EndTheStigma #ACHAP #HealthAndHumanRights #Empowerment #Collaboration

International Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed on May 28th, aims to break taboos and raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene management. Menstrual cups are an integral part of this conversation due to their significant benefits in promoting menstrual health and hygiene. 1. Environmental Impact: Menstrual cups are reusable and can last for several years, reducing the environmental impact compared to disposable sanitary products like pads and tampons, which generate a substantial amount of waste. 2. Cost-Effectiveness: Over time, menstrual cups are more economical than disposable products, making them a sustainable choice for individuals in low-income settings who struggle to afford monthly menstrual products. 3. Health Benefits: Made from medical-grade silicone, latex, or rubber, menstrual cups are hypoallergenic and reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) associated with tampon use. 4. Accessibility and Education: Promoting menstrual cups aligns with the goals of Menstrual Hygiene Day by emphasizing the need for comprehensive education about menstrual health, breaking stigmas, and providing access to safe and effective menstrual products. 5. Empowerment: Using menstrual cups can empower individuals by offering them a reliable and convenient option, enabling them to participate fully in daily activities, including school and work, without the interruption or stigma often associated with menstruation. #periodfriendlyworldwithcouldyoucups #tryyoutcuptoday. Menstrual Cup Coalition (MCC) UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) UN Women