2023-10-16 07:44:46
The international community commemorates every spring, on May 28, a World Menstrual Hygiene Day. This day was initiated by the German NGO WASH United in 2014.
It aims to break taboos and raise awareness of the importance of good menstrual hygiene among women and particularly among adolescent girls through The international community commemorates every spring, on May 28, a World Menstrual Hygiene Day. s the world.
This day is essential for becoming informed and combating stereotypes: “The first way to combat stereotypes and prejudices is education. If false beliefs persist, it is because there is a lack of education and information on this subject. »
Menstruation should not be a source of inequality: it unfairly penalizes women and girls, particularly those living in rural areas. No girl should be kept out of school because of her period.
Menstruation around the world
In all cultures and religions, girls’ periods have always been a taboo.
For some men, having sex with a woman during her period is unthinkable. Female menstrual blood is considered impure.
In certain regions of Africa, women are relegated to a box reserved for them. In some Christian churches (in Ethiopia for example), women are not allowed inside the church (might they be menstruating by chance?). They have to pray outside the building, sometimes in stifling heat, sheltered by a parasol. In Islam, a woman who has the misfortune of having her period in Mecca is not allowed to circle once more and once more, according to the ritual, around the large black stone called the Kaaba. Among ultraorthodox Muslims, always for the same reason, we do not greet a woman by touching her hand. Among the Jews, when a couple shares the same bed, and the woman is menstruating, a cushion is placed between the two spouses so that they do not touch each other.
In Europe, mentalities were not so different. Many young girls hid what they felt as a sort of shame. It is only recently that we have found sanitary napkins for young girls in some modern high schools.
Figures to break a taboo
From their first period until menopause, women have an average of 460 periods, which equates to approximately 3,500 days of their life and would shed 22 liters of menstrual blood and spend more than 4,400 CHF over the course of a life ! So why does it still remain a big taboo today? Periods are a completely normal biological process.
On the other hand, even today, a third of adolescent girls around the world are ashamed of having their period. Clichés and discrimination are still present in the daily lives of girls and women. Even in France, 35% of young girls admit to having already been victims or witnesses of teasing regarding their periods.
Menstrual poverty and the absence of clean and suitable toilets in schools aggravate school dropout. At least 500 million girls and women around the world lack adequate sanitation.
Together, let’s break the taboos around periods!
From the same author :
Desalpe: the mysterious sound of cow bells
Sources :
Photo credit : erstudio via depositphotos.com
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