Women and girls continue to face serious challenges when it comes to managing their menstrual cycles. Lack of awareness, harmful gender norms, myths and false information about periods are prevalent, often leading to stigmatization and limits opportunities. Silence built around menstruation further exacerbate difficulties in accessing sanitary products such as pads and hike its price and prevent men from procuring for their counterparts.
As a means of breaking these taboos, the United Nations Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI-Liberia) though Youth Movement for Collective Action (UMOVEMENT) celebrated the world Menstrual Health and Hygiene Day on Friday 28 May 2021 in Kakata City, Margibi County with a call on men to champion the cause for breaking taboos and other barriers associated with menstruation and promote menstrual health, hygiene education and awareness.
Delivering the keynote address, UMOVEMENT Head of Programs Sir. Urias W. Brooks Jr. called on the Government of Liberia and its partners to demonstrate commitment towards women and girls by investing in menstrual hygiene and health products associated with it to reduce cost. He also urged learning institutions and families to ensure WASH facilities are health and accessible to women and girls with free sanitary products such as pads and clean water especially for teenage girls at school, while stressing the needs for men to normalized periods.