5 reasons we’re talking about Periods this week!

Reason 1
This week, we’re celebrating Menstrual Health Day on May 28th! This day aims to create awareness on the importance of menstrual health.

Reason 2
Around 800 million people menstruate each day between the ages 15-49! (1). BUT due to social and cultural norms around the world, women and girls continue to be stigmatized, excluded and discriminated against simply because they have a period.
In MENA and across the world, girls and women can be:

• Misled: Told myths and inaccurate information about their periods

• Judged: Looked down upon for having their period

• Uninformed: Not knowing about periods and how to manage them

Reason 3
Women spend an average of 6 years menstruating in their lifetime (2). That’s a long time for women to be prevented from accessing crucial activities and services including: education, work, sports, and other recreational activities.

Reason 4
Nearly 25% of all menstruators experience period poverty - over 500 million people around the world (3). In MENA, menstrual products (pads, tampons and other items) are often highly taxed, so many women and girls cannot afford them. Instead, many are forced to use newspapers, toilet paper, cloths, and other methods to manage their period.

Reason 5
Over 500 million women and girls lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management (4). Women and girls need safe water to wash their hands and body, separate toilets and places to dispose sanitary pads. Without these facilities, physical health risks like infections increase for menstruating girls and women.

To tackle these reasons, we are calling for women and girls to have the right to menstruate with dignity!

Together let’s:

✔ End stigma of periods
✔ Ensure education about menstruation
✔ Provide affordable menstrual products
✔ Offer menstrual hygiene management facilities