Latest news with #Let'sTalkPeriods
Hans India
02-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
BU hosts menstrual hygiene awareness drive
Berhampur: In a spirited initiative to destigmatise menstruation and foster awareness among the youth, Berhampur University organised a public health outreach programme titled 'Let's Talk Periods', focusing on menstrual health and hygiene. The event was a joint endeavour by IFI Foundation, Swasthya Plus and OdishaLIVE, in collaboration with the University. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from hundreds of students and faculty members. Gracing the occasion as Chief Guest, Geetanjali Dash, Vice Chancellor of Berhampur University, highlighted the importance of education in combating menstrual taboos. 'Menstruation is a natural biological process. Yet, societal stigma still shackles the lives of many women. Educating and engaging the youth is key to changing this narrative at grassroots levels,' she said. Pranati Parida, Co-Chair of IFI Foundation and Chair of the campaign, underlined the relevance of the initiative: 'Menstrual hygiene is directly linked to the physical and emotional well-being of women. Our aim is to empower the youth to become informed ambassadors of change.' A campaign brochure filled with informative content and links to educational resources was launched during the event. Students added vibrancy with poster presentations carrying strong social messages around sustainable menstrual practices. The programme also featured the screening of an informative A-to-Z video capsule on menstrual health, addressing associated health concerns in a youth-friendly manner. Expert insights were shared by Kusum Dash, Senior Consultant (Gynaecology & Obstetrics) at Kalinga Hospital, and Sanjukta Sabat, public health educator, who interacted with the audience. Dignitaries such as Sukant Kumar Tripathy, Chairman, PG Council; Bandita Kumari Panda, Head of Journalism & Mass Communication and Nilambar Rath, Editor & CEO of OdishaLIVE, enriched the occasion with their presence and perspectives. The programme was moderated by Priyanka Sucharita, with coordination support from Amit Kumar Mohanty, Sitansu Shekhar Sutar and Sushree Smita Behera of OdishaLIVE and Swasthya Plus. The IFI Foundation, an official partner of the Global Menstrual Hygiene Day Campaign, continues to lead the digital awareness front, with support this year from Kalinga Hospital, Bhubaneswar and Paradeep Phosphates Limited as Associate Partners. This initiative stands as a clarion call to youth—to break myths, spread awareness and build a compassionate, period-friendly society.
Scoop
01-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Break The Silence On Periods, Change Mindsets
Press Release – Fiji Women's Rights Movement The annual event, with almost 180 participants from different communities around Suva, is a platform used to share awareness and information about menstruation and its related issues. Let us break the silence, change mindsets and start openly talking about periods. This was the sentiment shared today at the Fiji Women's Rights Movement Let's Talk Periods festival held in Suva to mark World Menstrual Health Day this week. Opening the event, FWRM Governance Board Chair called for an end to the stigma on periods and advocating for better WASH facilities in schools. The annual event, with almost 180 participants from different communities around Suva, is a platform used to share awareness and information about menstruation and its related issues. 'Whatever that is held as taboo does not make sense now – times have changed. We need to talk about periods, we need to make our voices louder so that we can have respectable dignified experiences when we get our periods and unless we have those open and honest conversations, we are never going to come out of this cycle of stigmatising periods. It is our responsibility to ensure that our menstrual needs and health is well taken care of,' FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh said. Ms Singh made the remarks during an intergenerational panel facilitated during the programme that included shared experiences from panelists in their different stages of the menstrual cycle. 'Periods are normal. It is natural. It is your body talking to you. If you don't get your period, then you know something is wrong. It is not something you should be ashamed of, it's a living breathing rhythm that reminds me of the fact that I am a woman,' said Jessica Work, International Planned Parenthood Fiji representative. Another panelist, Shurti Sharma, a graduate of FWRM's (GIRLS) Program highlighted the need for schools to integrate menstrual health and hygiene learning in the curriculum. 'Make safe spaces in schools for students to talk openly about menstruation and the experiences you go through. A lot of the times, teachers are often shying away from these conversations and the risk is messages and information are often not being shared accurately, 'Shurti said. FWRM believes in more awareness and information on sexual and reproductive health in our educational curriculums, especially targeted towards our girls. Comprehensive Sexuality Education would ensure that topics such as menstrual health and hygiene is delivered in a much more effective way. Other issues raised during the event was the need to provide free menstrual products and to avail them in schools, restrooms, prisons and other public places; the removal of the shame of being on your period and the need for men to attend such events to learn more about women's bodies and to understand the experiences women have with their periods. The programme included partners who collaborated with FWRM to open up booths for information sharing and awareness on a range of issues such as menstrual health and hygiene, myths, taboos, reproductive health, bodily autonomy and more. Let's Talk Periods 2025 was supported by the Australian Government in partnership with Pacific Menstrual Health Network and Water Aid. 'It begins with us. Those of you who have come here, you have probably come with younger members of your families. It is up to you now to go back and have conversations about normalising periods beginning from your homes,'Ms Singh added.
Scoop
01-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Break The Silence On Periods, Change Mindsets
Let us break the silence, change mindsets and start openly talking about periods. This was the sentiment shared today at the Fiji Women's Rights Movement Let's Talk Periods festival held in Suva to mark World Menstrual Health Day this week. Opening the event, FWRM Governance Board Chair called for an end to the stigma on periods and advocating for better WASH facilities in schools. The annual event, with almost 180 participants from different communities around Suva, is a platform used to share awareness and information about menstruation and its related issues. 'Whatever that is held as taboo does not make sense now - times have changed. We need to talk about periods, we need to make our voices louder so that we can have respectable dignified experiences when we get our periods and unless we have those open and honest conversations, we are never going to come out of this cycle of stigmatising periods. It is our responsibility to ensure that our menstrual needs and health is well taken care of,' FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh said. Ms Singh made the remarks during an intergenerational panel facilitated during the programme that included shared experiences from panelists in their different stages of the menstrual cycle. 'Periods are normal. It is natural. It is your body talking to you. If you don't get your period, then you know something is wrong. It is not something you should be ashamed of, it's a living breathing rhythm that reminds me of the fact that I am a woman,' said Jessica Work, International Planned Parenthood Fiji representative. Another panelist, Shurti Sharma, a graduate of FWRM's (GIRLS) Program highlighted the need for schools to integrate menstrual health and hygiene learning in the curriculum. 'Make safe spaces in schools for students to talk openly about menstruation and the experiences you go through. A lot of the times, teachers are often shying away from these conversations and the risk is messages and information are often not being shared accurately, 'Shurti said. FWRM believes in more awareness and information on sexual and reproductive health in our educational curriculums, especially targeted towards our girls. Comprehensive Sexuality Education would ensure that topics such as menstrual health and hygiene is delivered in a much more effective way. Other issues raised during the event was the need to provide free menstrual products and to avail them in schools, restrooms, prisons and other public places; the removal of the shame of being on your period and the need for men to attend such events to learn more about women's bodies and to understand the experiences women have with their periods. The programme included partners who collaborated with FWRM to open up booths for information sharing and awareness on a range of issues such as menstrual health and hygiene, myths, taboos, reproductive health, bodily autonomy and more. Let's Talk Periods 2025 was supported by the Australian Government in partnership with Pacific Menstrual Health Network and Water Aid. 'It begins with us. Those of you who have come here, you have probably come with younger members of your families. It is up to you now to go back and have conversations about normalising periods beginning from your homes,'Ms Singh added.
