A Global Menstrual Hygiene Day will be observed across the world every year on May 28 to break the silence around menstruation.Accordingly, international NGO WaterAid in collaboration with State Women and Child Development Department, the UNICEF, the National Alliance of Women (NAWO), the Aaina and the Doordarshan will observe the day in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
It is generally observed that there are so many taboos about menstruation due to our socio-cultural restrictions and mindsets. Studies show that most of the girls are not properly explained about menstruation and they believe that the menstrual blood is impure. Besides, menstrual hygiene is highly ignored in the society that affects women’s health.
Thus, the major objective of the day’s programme is to break the taboo around menstruation and celebrate womanhood as well as creating awareness on menstrual hygiene management at personal and institutional levels. It also aims at initiating dialogues and promoting various stakeholders to discuss on the topic.
Around 150 adolescent girls, women, AWWs, ANMs, Government officials, representatives of NGOs and INGOs would participate in the programme here, said the organisers.