In a crowded plaza in Cartagena, Colombia, 24-year-old Valeria
confidently walks by crowds of people. Some stare and point, others whisper. A
woman notices her and walks up to Valeria and says, “Honey, you are all
stained.” The woman is unaware that Valeria is participating in a social
experiment launched by Plan International to normalize menstrual health.
As we celebrate the 10th annual International Menstrual Health
Day (May 28), at least one in four women
of reproductive
age
around the world is currently unable to access what she
needs
to manage her period. Menstruation is still considered to be a private matter
for girls and associated with embarrassment or
disgust.
Through education, intergenerational dialogues and awareness-raising campaigns,
we can work together to challenge and address the question, “Why is it still so
hard to talk about periods?”
Let’s be clear: Period shame is rooted in gender inequality. The World
Economic Forum estimates that it will take 131
years
until we achieve true, global gender equality. To beat this clock, we can
catalyze public-private partnerships that positively impact menstrual health and
girls’ self-esteem while driving economic benefits.
This is why Plan is working with the Kimberly-Clark
Foundation and the
Kotex® brand. Since 2020, we have worked
together on the Kotex She Can
initiative
to implement menstrual-health programs targeting girls and young women in eight
countries around the world. These programs are designed to address the root of
period shame through activities that transform attitudes, behaviors and
practices — thus, promoting an enabling environment that boosts girls’
confidence, agency and dignity.
DEI and sustainability: The ROI of inclusive corporate cultures
Join us as leaders from the Accomplis Collective, Bard, Beneficial State Foundation, ReEngineering HR and REI share best practices for cultivating a culture of belonging and insights into how inclusive leadership can lead to more effective and equitable sustainability outcomes — Wednesday, Oct. 16, at SB'24 San Diego.
To effectively tackle period shame and increase their bottom line, corporate
partners can help support programs that:
Raise girls’ self-esteem.
Taboos, myths and
shame
surrounding menstruation can lead to teasing, shaming and exclusion and have a
negative effect on girls’ sense of dignity. That’s why, as part of our programs
with Kotex, we educate girls on menstrual health and train them to be peer
leaders who spread their knowledge to others in their school and community —
thereby increasing their knowledge, leadership skills and confidence.
Businesses can work with girls as leaders and raise their self-esteem by
investing in programs that aim to dismantle myths, stereotypes and taboos around
menstruation. Doing so develops a generation of leaders who are able to share
their expertise freely in a work environment and who aren’t afraid of being
shamed or silenced by their peers.
Improve girls’ participation and performance in school and beyond.
Menstrual health also has a huge impact on girls’ education and workforce
participation, as many girls in developing countries are often forced to skip
classes or miss work when they are on their period. The reasons for this are
culturally entrenched and vary across the world — including being forced into
isolation while menstruating; stigmas and taboos that hinder adequate
access
to information, supplies and sanitary facilities; and symbolic perceptions that
a girl who menstruates is ready for marriage.
To best meet her needs, we engage peers, schools and community members to
demystify menstruation and create an environment that supports her in upholding
her menstrual health. Businesses can develop workplace cultures that are
responsive to the needs of all individuals, including those of girls and young
women, to ensure girls are reaching and contributing their full potential in
educational and professional settings.
Enable girls to fully participate in all aspects of society.
Girls and women around the world are often expected to refrain from normal
activities, such as bathing or cooking, and may even be banished from the home
during their period. That’s why we tailor educational campaigns to bring mass
awareness to communities about the importance of menstrual health and to
dismantle beliefs that hold girls back. Across eight menstrual health programs,
together with Kotex, we’ve reached more than 1 million individuals. Businesses
can seek to influence policies and practices to develop gender-responsive
workplace cultures that boost productivity, reduce absenteeism and foster
collaboration among all employees.
Ten years from now, I hope that girls’ potential is no longer hindered by the
perfectly normal biological function that is a period. It would be a world where
girls like Lizette don’t have to create public-awareness campaigns about
periods, because we will be focused on stories of girls who have completed their
education and are able to decide what future they want. When girls and women can
fully participate in the workforce, everyone gains — including your bottom line.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Published May 20, 2024 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST