1. Menstrual Hygiene Day
28, May 2016
MH Day 2016 : Let's make it a GOOD DAY!
Sagun Paudel
www.sagunpaudel.com.np
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2. MHD or MH Day is an annual awareness day, on 28 May, that aims
to break taboos and raise awareness about the importance of
good MHM for women and adolescent girls worldwide. It was
initiated by the German-based NGO WASH United in 2014.
Introduction
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3. Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day)
is a global platform that brings
together non-profits, government
agencies, the private sector, the
media and individuals to promote
Menstrual Hygiene Management.
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4. Continue…
MH Day raises awareness of the challenges women and girls
worldwide face due to their menstruation and highlights
solutions that address these challenges, including through
media work.
WASH United is the initiator of MH Day and acts as its
International Secretariat. As the International Secretariat,
WASH United coordinates MH Day and manages the MH Day
Alliance of more than 380 partner organizations.
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5. Objectives of MHD
To address the challenges and hardships many women and girls
face during their menstruation.
To highlight the positive and innovative solutions being taken
to address these challenges.
To catalyze a growing, global movement that recognizes and
supports girl’s and women’s rights and build partnerships
among those partners on national and local level.
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6. Continue…
To engage in policy dialogue and actively advocate for the
integration of MHM into global, national and local policies,
programs and projects.
It creates an occasion for media work, including social
media.
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7. Menstruation
Menstruation, also known as a period or monthly is the
regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner
lining of the uterus through the vagina.
Menstruation is a phenomenon unique to the females. The
onset of menstruation is one of the most important changes
occurring among the girls during the adolescent years.
Menstruation is a natural part of the reproductive cycle.
The first menstruation (menarche) occurs between 11 and
15 (mean of 13) years.
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8. The menstrual cycle occurs due to the rise and fall
of hormones.
This cycle results in the thickening of the lining of the
uterus, and the growth of an egg, (which is required
for pregnancy).
The egg is released from an ovary around day fourteen in
the cycle; the thickened lining of the uterus
provides nutrients to an embryo after implantation. If
pregnancy does not occur, the lining is released in what is
known as menstruation.
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9. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)
An appropriate Menstrual Hygiene Management is defined as:
"Women and adolescent girls use a clean material to
absorb or collect menstrual blood, and this material can
be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the
duration of menstruation.
MHM also includes using soap and water for washing the
body as required; and having access to facilities to dispose
of used menstrual management materials.
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10. Potential Risk of Poor Menstrual Hygiene Source: HOUSE et al.
(2012)
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11. Menstrual Hygiene Management in Nepal
Every day approximately 290000 women and girls in
Nepal menstruate!!
82% of Nepali women living in rural Nepal, use of
unhygienic, un-healthy and possibly dangerous
menstrual hygiene management methods push Nepali
women deeper into the crevice of marginalization and
reproductive health morbidity.
Nepal Fertility Care Center(NFCC)
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12. Continue..
Young adolescent girls constitute a particularly vulnerable
group. Studies have shown that adolescent girls often lack
appropriate information about their reproductive health
and proper menstrual management which has a direct
impact upon adolescent girl's schooling, with absenteeism of
menstruating girls as high as 53% in Nepal.
Nepal Fertility Care Center(NFCC)
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13. Continue..
This frequent absence from school implies an average annual
absence of at least six weeks from school directly
affecting girl's academic progress.
Unsatisfactory academic progress coupled with the societal
belief that girls who have started menstruating are
eligible for marriage, contributes to high dropout
rates from school and early marriage, which itself is
a risk factor preventing optimum reproductive health,
birthing practices, birth spacing and healthy children.
Nepal Fertility Care Center(NFCC)
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14. Why Menstrual Hygiene Matters ?
Educating girls about menstruation helps increase self
esteem, raise grades and raise wages.
Learning about menstruation empowers girls to take care of
themselves in brand new ways.
Learning and understanding what menstrual hygiene options
exist for them gives girls the opportunity to choose what
solution is best for them.
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15. #MenstrualHygieneMatters
It gives girls and women confidence to live their lives
normally.
Talking about menstrual hygiene before menarche (the first
period) is very important for ensuring that girls know how to
handle the often scary first period.
Understanding how tampons, menstrual cups, or other sanitary
materials work allows girls to explore their bodies in new and
important ways.’
Proper menstrual hygiene keeps girls in school.
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16. #MenstrualHygieneMatters
Access to menstrual hygiene products keep
girls on the same track as their male peers.
It keeps women at work, contributing to
economic development.
Educating girls and women about feminine
hygiene and biology helps to bust myths and
cultural superstitions.
Access to correct information about hygiene
and adequate sanitary materials enables
women to feel more confident and
comfortable with their bodies.
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17. #MenstrualHygieneMatters
Debunking myths and
taboos can keep girls and
women safe. (Chaupadi)
It helps women realize that
they are not impure.
Educating men and boys
about menstruation can help
men develop higher levels of
understanding of women and
girls’ bodies and needs.
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Image Source : Newlovetimes.com
18. #MenstrualHygieneMatters
Learning about menstrual hygiene management helps
ensure cleanliness.
Knowing what product or material to use, how often to
change it, and having access to WASH (water, sanitation
and hygiene) facilities helps girls and women maintain
good hygiene while menstruating.
It helps keep Bacterial Vaginosis (bacterial vaginal
infections) away, It can help prevent girls and women
from getting toxic shock syndrome (TSS)
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19. #MenstrualHygieneMatters
It helps reduce the likelihood of getting cervical cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, India accounts
for 27 percent of the world’s cervical cancer deaths. The
incidence rate there is almost twice the global average and
doctors studying the disease believe poor menstrual hygiene
is partly to blame.
Using reusable menstrual hygiene products like
menstrual cups and reusable pads can help reduce waste
in the environment.
It is estimated that nearly 20 billion pads and tampons are
discarded every year in North America alone.
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20. MH Day 2016 : Let's make it a GOOD DAY!!! 20
Sustainable Goals and
Menstrual Hygiene
Menstrual Hygiene Management Matters to the
achievement of several Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
There is no specific Goal or Indicator for MHM
but Menstruation Matters SGD Goal 3,4,6,8 & 12
22. Sources of Information
https://girlsglobe.org/2014/05/28/28-reasons-why-menstrual-hygiene-
matters/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle
http://menstrualhygieneday.org/
http://www.newlovetimes.com/chhaupadi-pratha
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23. MH Day 2016 : Let's make it a GOOD DAY!!!
THANKYOU!!
Important:
If you are going to present this slide do not forget to acknowledge my
Work.
Thankyou!!!
Sagun Paudel
9856036932
Pokhara, Kaski
Mail4sagun@gmail.com
www.sagunpaudel.com.np
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