Parents should discuss menstrual health, hygiene with daughters, sons: NCW chief
May 29, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 29 : The National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with SheWings organised an event in Delhi on the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28 to raise awareness about menstrual health and hygiene in women and girls.
NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma emphasized the role of parents' involvement in menstrual health and hygiene awareness and said that parents should encourage and initiate discussions about the subject with their children.
Sharma in an event 'From Menstruation to Menopause', emphasized the role of parents in spreading awareness about menstrual health and hygiene.
The NCW chairman reminisced about the difficulties of bringing about the subject of the menstrual cycle with her parents back in the day and highlighted the need for the subject to become a part of a healthy discussion between parents and children.
"It was very difficult to talk about periods during our teenage days, and that is the reason I encourage every parent to talk to their daughters and sons about menstrual health and hygiene," she said.
Rekha Sharma also discussed how she hid the subject of periods from her parents and said, "I kept it secret for two days until my family discovered on their own that I have hit puberty. In those days there was very little awareness about menstruation. My family suggested I use cloth (as my elder sisters were already using it). I resisted and asked my parents to give me money so that I could purchase sanitary pads."
The Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma, with an inspiring keynote speech emphasized the importance of widespread awareness and support systems for women's health issues, spanning from menstruation to menopause.
She highlighted the need for continuous advocacy and education to break the stigma surrounding women's health.
Supporting this initiative, Meenakshi Singh, Indian Revenue Service (IRS), stated, "We support women's education and economic independence. From small businesses to leading companies, women are everywhere. We must educate and empower women for the future."
"A woman is more productive when she is in good health. Our effort is 'Healthy Woman, Healthy Family.' On this Menstrual Hygiene Day, our theme is 'Together for a Period-Friendly World," said Madan Mohit Bhardwaj, the founder of She Wings who emphasized the impact of health on women's productivity.
According to UNICEF every month, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate. But most of these girls, women, transgender men, and non-binary persons are unable to manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified, healthy way.
