Preparations intensified for observing 6th International Dignified Menstruation Day

By Pabitra Guragain, Kathmandu, Dec 1: The 6th International Dignified Menstruation Day is being observed on coming December 8. For this, preparations are going on in full swing.     

 The Day is to be celebrated jointly by the Radha Paudel Foundation, the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation (GSCDM), and others under the theme of "Upholding Dignified Menstruation: Fundamental to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights", according to Dr Radha Paudel, the founder and CEO at the GSCDM.     

 "Menstrual discrimination which is entirely a PROBLEM is another side of Dignified Menstruation or the primary underlying cause for systemic inequalities and patriarchal structures while on the contrary Dignified Menstruation is an approach (SOLUTION) for assuring justice and equality everywhere such as in agriculture, sports, climate justice, health, education, peace, human rights, WASH, menstrual products, etc," she states.     

A hybrid Conference will be organised in Boston, USA, in partnership with Harvard University, Men Engage Alliance Global, and the federal capital of Nepal simultaneously, to mark the Day.     

The UNDP (PSP), The Colombo Plan, WWF, Seti Foundation, Amplify Change, Song Pour Sang Consortium partners (FOS Feminista, PSI Europe, Equipop) are also joining to mark 6th International Dignified Menstruation Day. Most importantly, the GSCDM member organizations will be marking across their respective organizations and countries. Likewise, the fellows will do the same.     

Highlighting the relevancy and urgency of marking December 8 as the Day for Dignified Menstruation, Paudel said despite the emergence of several international human rights instruments such as CEDAW, SDGs, and ILO C 190 since 1948, menstrual discrimination remains to be the major source of oppression and discrimination on multiple levels, directly contributing to the construction and socialization of them since childhood and the formation of a vicious circle of sexual and gender-based violence. It remains largely unaddressed in global conversations around sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender equality. The Menstrual Hygiene Day (May 28) fails to address the problems.     

Menstrual discrimination is a widespread and complex issue, encompassing taboos, shyness, stigma, restrictions, abuses, violence, deprivation of resources, and various forms of social exclusion throughout the life cycle of menstruators. It is high time to unlearn and dismantle this discrimination through awareness, broader dialogues, policies, laws, and actions by recognizing it as a global concern for all.     

The 8th of December has been designated as Dignified Menstruation Day, chosen to align with both Human Rights Month and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25-December 10). This day is a call to action for all individuals and organizations to recognize and advocate for menstrual dignity, challenging the societal norms and practices that perpetuate menstrual discrimination and social inequality, she asserted.     

Thus, dignified menstruation is a decolonized, innovative, holistic, transformative, feminist, human rights and life cycle approach for accelerating the inclusion among menstruators and non-menstruators, fostering the equal power relationship, dismantling patriarchy, working beyond menstrual products, WASH, preventing SGBV including child marriage, improving sexual and reproductive health rights and comprehensive sexuality education and promoting the human rights, said the dignified menstruation activist, health professional, writer, and the Madan prize winner. She strongly believes that "Dignified Menstruation is Everyone's Business."     

The GSCDM defines dignified menstruation as a transformative approach to address menstrual discrimination and promote equality and justice for all.     

 GSCDM media coordinator Gobinda Khadka said that panel discussions on 'Intersection of Menstrual Dignity with SRH for Claiming Gender Equality and Justice with Policy Makers' and 'Engagement of Youth in Advocating Dignified Menstruation,' are the parts of the Conference including winner announcement for the Social Media Challenges and Video Competition, Research Grant scholarship to students from KU and launching of media fellowship book.(RSS)