Menstrual Health is Everybody’s Business. Period.
This week, the Netherlands is co-hosting the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York.
An intersectional approach to addressing period poverty in Pakistan
For roughly half the world’s population, menstruation is a core issue of bodily autonomy: the right to safety, security, and self-determination over their bodies, including their reproduction. Not only does it shape our reproductive health experiences, but it also impacts our livelihoods and life projects. Yet menstrual health is widely stigmatised and not considered an appropriate […]
Thailand’s Leap in Period Equity
In November 2022, Thailand hosted the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) which had the theme of Family Planning and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Since it is first ICFP in Kampala, Uganda, the conference has offered a platform where the global sexual and reproductive health (SRH) movement can advocate for SRH services to be included […]
Gender-based violence and menstrual discrimination
The relationship between gender-based violence (GBV) and menstrual health is more entwined than people may think. Both GBV and menstrual discrimination are human rights violations and public health issues because they prevent women, girls, and queer individuals from fully participating in society. In addition, they cause humiliation, deprive individuals of personal liberty, and take away their agency. […]
Stigma, taboo, myths and misconceptions around menstruation in young people in Australia
Although period poverty disproportionately impacts those living in resource-limited settings, it can affect anyone and anytime. In 2020, the South Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly, surveyed 3,000 young people between the ages of 7 and 22 about their perceptions and experiences of menstruation. She found that period poverty is impacting their […]
Letter From Our First Ever Board Chair
Worldwide, we must work together to achieve menstrual equity
Frontline health workers have the right to menstrual health
The COVID-19 pandemic has further broadened the gender gap, exacerbated the discriminatory social norms, and heightened vulnerabilities that hinder access to essential services2. It has also put untold pressure on overburdened healthcare systems and healthcare workers worldwide – approximately 70% of the global health workforce are women8. Although we appreciate that not all women menstruate and not […]
Rethinking Menstrual Justice from the Feminist Perspective
At Irise, our mission is to create menstrual health-friendly schools and communities around East Africa by providing educational resources and high-quality sustainable menstrual products. In the fight against period poverty, our efforts are much appreciated but there is still slow adoption to rescue and restore girls’ dignity and it’s often done without considering the feminist approach. […]
Haiti Felt the Pressure of Period Poverty Pre-Pandemic, & It Will Continue Post-Pandemic Unless It is Addressed!
Dr. Dina Saintilmon Medical Doctor, & Pandemic Periods, Haiti Dr. Claudy Junior Pierre MD, Resident, field epidemiology, Haiti Dr. Alhelí Calderón Villarreal, MD MPH, & Corresponsal de México Haiti needs to prioritise menstrual health! First SARS-CoV-2 case in Haiti was confirmed on March 19, 2020. Although the pandemic did not produce the slaughter in the number of cases expected as […]
Who Decides What Is and Is Not a Crisis?
We believe that more needs to be done to preserve SRHR and the right to attain menstrual health in times of crisis.