This week, ICA Nepal conducted two programs on Menstrual Hygiene Management with local women from Koteshwor on 25th May, 2017 and women group from Changunarayan on 30th May, 2017 respectively. Marking the International Menstruation Hygiene Management Day on 28th May, 2017, these programs were conducted with the motive on reaching local people and awaring them about menstruation hygiene.
On 25th May, An Interaction Program on Menstrual Hygiene Management was held among local women of Koteshwor, Kathmandu who were mostly social mobilizers and development workers. Total 35 participants participated in the program which was facilitated by Mr. Upendra Dhakal, who worked in the WASH sector for several years.
The program provided very integrated information on menstruation. Starting from the biological process of menstruation, the stages and cycle of menstruation, the program moved ahead with more focus on managing hygienic behaviors. The methods of managing hygiene while using cloth pads or sanitary pads, importance of maintaining personal hygiene as well making hygienic and female friendly toilets were focused. It was asserted that every women should be accessible to clean sanitary napkin materials, clean changing places, regular water, soap and towel and proper disposing facilities.
Several health risks which can occur in the lack of proper hygiene were also shared by the facilitator. Conditions such as vaginal yeast, pubic lice, infection, itchiness and rashes leading upto ovarian and cervical cancer can happen if the hygiene is not maintained properly.
Similarly, the program focused on various challenges women face during menstruation because of the restricitons imposed by the society. Given how taboo is menstruation in eastern societies, there is no proper environment for women to share about their problems easily.
“I was 13 years old when I got my first period. My mother wasn’t at home so I ran away to jungle. I belong to Bajura where i had to stay in Chhaupadi. For coming three years, I experienced Chhaupdi where I had to bath at early 3 am before sun rise”
The program ended with informing participants about some disposing methods of santary materials. Some of the methods are: Burning, Burying, Incinerating and Vermi-composting.
ICA Nepal is planning intensively for taking such programs in various other schools and communities now which we’ll be updating regularly. We would like to heartily thank you all for your donations which made these programs possible. Meanwhile, do continue supporting us. Our new link for fundraising is: https://www.globalgiving.org/microprojects/support-nepali-girls/
The program on 30th May, 2017 was an Interaction Program on Menstrual Hygiene Management which was conducted among local women of Changunarayan. The program was organized by ICA Nepal and facilitated by Ms. Pritha Khanal where 15 women participated.
The program intended on providing Menstrual Hygiene Management knowledge among women who came from one of the commendable women groups of Changunarayan. Thus, them being our stakeholders and not only the beneficiaries, we aimed on providing knowledge about how to enhance Menstrual Hygiene in the community.
In this program also, the need of clean sanitary materials, clean and female friendly toilets, regular water supply, and availability of soap, towel and dustbins in the toilets were highlighted. In addition to this, the facilities of proper disposing should be provided to women where as the different methods of disposing napkins were also shared.
Women should be able to live with dignity and respect during menstruation. The fact that women are treated as impure during menstruation needs to be changed. This message was well conveyed in the program. Participants also shared various challenges they come across during menstruation due to lack of proper facilities to manage their periods.
The program ended with discussion on what can be the role of local women to improve MHM in their communities. They can play the role on personal and on community level. Personally, women can improve on their menstrual health and their families’ health; improve condition of toilets in their houses and offices. On a community level, they can conduct such awareness raising activities among school children and other women; they can prioritize the MHM activities in their women’s group as well.
ICA Nepal is planning intensively for taking such programs in various other schools and communities now which we’ll be updating regularly. We would like to heartily thank you all for your donations which made these programs possible. Meanwhile, do continue supporting us. Our new link for fundraising is: https://www.globalgiving.org/microprojects/support-nepali-girls/
