Menstruation is still a taboo in many parts of the world. While it is a natural phenomenon which occurs to every girl after puberty, this has not been addressed as ‘normal’ yet. Many girls do not even have access to sanitary pads, clean toilets, or even safe disposal of used cloth during this time of the month. This not only leads to urinary infections but can cause infertility if not addressed on time.
To create awareness about menstruation, provide safe and hygienic practices to girls, and burst the bubble of taboo, World Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated on May 28 all over the world. According to UNFPA, May 28 signifies the menstrual cycle of females.
As a fertility cycle lasts for 28 days, the date is selected to be 28. In the same way, an average period lasts for five days, which gives us the fifth month of the day, May. Therefore, to give it a meaning in itself, May 28 is celebrated to mark the change that occurs in a female body.
This year, the theme for World Menstrual Hygiene Day is ‘making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030’. The theme is not just about celebrating the day, but rather a goal that has to be achieved by 2030.
The goal is to build a world where no girl is without the safety supplies and easy access to menstrual products. It is also about making menstruation a normal subject which can be discussed publicly in a normal voice, not a low-pitched one.
