Breaking the taboos and ending the stigma surrounding menstruation during world Health Day

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on April 7. The theme this year as set by the World Health Organisation is ‘Our Planet, Our Health’. Following the above objectives awareness sessions, health camps, and yoga classes were conducted across the 7 partners of the Surokhit Shaihav program in West Bengal.

Focussing on the issue of child rights and the stigma around period & poverty, adolescent girls in our Surokhit Shaihav program area were empowered to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, with confidence, and without shame.

The program team raised awareness about the challenges regarding access to menstrual products, education about menstruation, and period-friendly sanitation facilities. A total of some 350 girls reached through partners. Free Sanitary pads were distributed in Darjeeling and Siliguri. ASHA Anganwadi and ANM were trained across all 7 partners on this critical issue for girls to attend school regularly.

Special sessions were organized with duty bearers in Behrampur, Murshidabad, Darjeeling and Siliguri, and Kalimpong

Topics covered in the world health day program are as below:

1. Normal and abnormal indicators of menstruation. How to deal with the abnormality of menstruation and when to consult the doctor about an abnormality in menstruation.
2. To increase access and use of high-quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in rural areas.
3. To ensure safe disposal of Sanitary Napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.
4. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
5. Taboos on menstruation psychological wellness. Self-care, evaluating the psychological condition of the self.

Apart from that, the YOGA class was conducted for the children, youth, and for villagers of Baikunthapur in KCSS. Health Camp was organized in ADSS with full-body check-ups. Many doctors, health workers, and key actors participated in this drive. The Surokhit Shaishav team also thanked and recognized the widespread contribution of medical faculty, and health workers and their success during COVID time.

Children were engaged through small talks wherein the topic of being healthy became of immense importance was dwelt upon. Healthy does not always mean physically healthy, it also means mental and social well-being. Healthy people are more productive and tend to live longer, and disease-free.