Kathmandu:  A consultative workshop with a message “MenstruAction. No time to rest:  Ensuring every girl in Nepal can thrive on her period”-kicked-off in the capital today to build strong multi-sectoral evidence-based collaboration on menstrual health management by positioning it as a holistic health and rights issue.

The workshop organized by the Menstrual Health Management (MHM) Alliance with support of GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is being attended by over three hundred stakeholders including experts, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, adolescent and youth representatives and the media to discuss how to best design and deliver future Menstrual Health Management in Nepal.

Speaking at the workshop Bandana Rana, an expert member at United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) said that any act of discrimination or embarrassment during period needs to be punishable. “Girls and adolescents should be mobilized at community level to create awareness about menstrual hygiene,” she added.

Women and girls in Nepal face a range of challenges when menstruating. These can range from a lack of clean, safe and gender-segregated toilets to feelings of shame and embarrassment. The problem of “period poverty” is prevalent more in some communities, low-income groups and school girls.

The workshop aims to produce ‘Kathmandu Action Plan-for 2019/2020’ to bridge the current gaps on adolescent health and development by focusing on existing knowledge and advocacy for sustainable menstrual hygiene and protection against “period poverty” so that every girl and woman can thrive during her period.