Advocates fight period poverty on Mentsrual Health Day
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Hundreds of women, girls, and their supporters gathered recently across 38 countries to commemorate an #EndTheStigma-themed Menstrual Health Day (MH Day) – observed annually on May 28. Advocates on MH Day worked to end period poverty and the stigma and discrimination that people who menstruate face worldwide.
Young women at Uganda's event show off their new pads and Love condoms.

Events commemorating the day included cultural dances, musicals, art, theater performances, lively protests, and TV broadcasts. To top it off, advocates distributed over 675,000 free sanitary pads, and some also installed free pad dispensers. The events reached key communities, including migrant women and girls in school. Young men and boys, stakeholders, and local leaders also attended educational sessions to help break taboos around menstruation.

"It is vital to mark MH Day as 500 million people who menstruate, including women, girls, transgender, and non-binary, experience period poverty that prevents them from accessing free or affordable hygiene products, adequate facilities, and accepting communities," said Loretta Wong, AHF Deputy Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy. "Ending period stigma also aids the 129 million girls who miss up to 20% of school annually due to period poverty. Everyone worldwide, including leaders at all levels of government, owe it to all people who menstruate to #EndTheStigma!"
Check out all the fun photos below and view more by clicking on the links to the country teams' photo albums!
The Africa teams' varied events included everything from dramatic performances, HIV testing, and sports games to comprehensive sex education discussions, press conferences, and talks at schools. Young girls and boys also learned to spot and help prevent human trafficking. Country teams in Africa gave out over 118,000 free sanitary pads during their events.
Activities in Asia focused on schoolgirls up to the university level, providing them with sexual and reproductive health education and more than 252,000 free pads. Events also highlighted their creative artistic presentations. Girls Act and other communities lacking sufficient access to menstrual health management, including rural homemakers, were also included in discussions with stakeholders and local leaders.
In Europe, events reached a wide variety of populations, including teenage girls, families, and women in correctional facilities. Attendees received gift packs and attended lectures and workshops on how to help manage their menstruation and #EndTheStigma. MH Day advocates distributed over 54,500 free sanitary pads.
Events in Latin America and the Caribbean included actions involving governments, stakeholders, and doctors to help address financial and health concerns faced by local women and girls, including sex workers and migrants. Advocates discussed the need for tax-free menstrual hygiene products and distributed more than 250,000 free pads.
 
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