Menstrual Hygiene Day is just a week away, on 28th May, and it’s already set to be the biggest year yet. Menstrual Hygiene Day is a global campaign, bringing together individuals, nonprofits and businesses to advocate for better access to menstrual health for women and girls everywhere.
The campaign takes place each year in May, with the fifth month representing the length of an average period (five days) and the 28th representing the length of the average woman’s menstrual cycle. Pretty cool right?
Our voices are getting louder and louder as menstrual health and period poverty become increasingly prominent subjects in mainstream media but, sadly, it’s not enough. The big period taboo still exists and decision-makers simply aren’t doing enough. We will rest until we have equal access to menstrual health for all!
This is why the theme for 2019’s Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign is “It’s Time For Action”. Together we have the potential to create a positive and empowering conversation around menstrual health.
Together we can create change.
Last year saw positive messaging around menstrual health and periods reach over 130 million people. Let’s make this year even better! It’s time to act and change the conversation.
So, how do you get involved with Menstrual Hygiene Day?
Hold an Event
Anyone can hold an event for Menstrual Hygiene Day. It could be in your school, place of work, at university or simply with your friends. What matters is that, wherever you are, you’re generating positive conversation around menstrual health.
This is the perfect chance to break down the taboos and smash those stigmas, and start feeling empowered when it comes to managing our periods. Too many women and girls are shunned from society simply because they have their period, and the impacts can be lifelong.
Why not get your friends or colleagues together and explore how you can change that? It could be in the form of a fundraiser, a discussion evening or even a private viewing of everybody’s favourite film Period. End of Sentence. Even just one positive conversation could have a dramatic impact.
Start the Conversation on Social Media
Why not share your story on social media? 28th May will see countless digital conversations around menstrual health but we want to see even more of you there!
Whether it’s on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or even via your own website, digital platforms are a fantastic place to start sharing your story. You could share your experience of your first period and how stigmas and shame impacted your perception of it. Perhaps you’ve experienced period poverty first hand and want to share what it looks like. Or maybe you simply want to talk about more ethical solutions to menstrual health management.
However you choose to share your story, be sure to include the hashtags #MHDay2019 and #NoMoreLimits to get involved!
Join in with #EthicalHour
On the eve of Menstrual Hygiene Day – 27th May – we’ll be joining the wonderful folks at Ethical Hour for their weekly Twitter chat to discuss how we can all better advocate for menstrual health.
Make sure that your phone is fully charged and ready to go for 8pm as the conversation’s bound to be fast and fun! It’s always an insightful and engaging evening so we can’t wait to see you join us online!
Donate to a Menstrual Health Charity
There are so many wonderful charities who are working tirelessly throughout the UK and around the world to support women and girls through menstrual health. It never ceases to inspire us when we see new people getting involved with this incredible cause.
Of course we’d be delighted if you made a commitment to The Cup Effect and supported our mission to end period poverty across East Africa and the UK. But we’d also be delighted if you supported any one of our incredible friends working to support menstrual health.
Purchase a Menstrual Cup
We can hardly believe it but for the month of May, three cups will be donated to women and girls facing period poverty for every cup you purchase through our store. If that’s not motivation, we don’t know what is!
Here’s what one of our beneficiaires from Malawi, Jennifer, has to say:
“Before I got my menstrual cup, I had to use a piece of cloth. I had no money to buy sanitary pads because I came from a very poor family. So what my mum could afford was just two pieces of a torn cotton cloth. By the time I finished my period I would have cuts between my upper legs, which were so painful. I couldn’t dance, run or even walk fast when I was on my period. I’d often stain my clothes and could rarely go to school. I’d usually just stay at home until it was finished.
I couldn’t have afforded a menstrual cup on my own but now I have one I can do anything on my period without any trouble. I want to thank you, thank you for your support. Please keep doing your work and help the girls who are poorer than me”
We can’t wait to hear what you get up to for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2019! Be sure to tag us in your posts on social media and we’ll do our best to re-share them.
Pip Christie is a Freelance Digital Marketer who heads up marketing and communications at The Cup Effect as a volunteer. She has over four years experience working across the charity and start-up sectors following her Masters degree in Human Rights. She now works with charities and small business clients as a freelancer. You can follow her across social media @PipUnedited or visit her website at pipchristie.com