Menstrual Hygiene Day! Yes, you read that right and if this is your first time hearing about it, you probably wouldn’t be alone. Menstrual Hygiene Day, also called MHD, was initiated by the German non-profit organization, WASH United, in 2013. A year after initiation, the first annual Menstrual Hygiene Day took place on May 28, 2014. Though May has passed by, you still have the chance to get to know all you can about a platform and day that highlights the importance of menstrual health and hygiene.
Firstly, what’s the significance of the date that MHD falls on? What’s so special about this particular month and day? Well, the average cycle duration is 28 days and women/girls menstruate, on average, 5 days out of every month. Menstrual Hygiene Day falls on the fifth month of the year, on the 28th day! MHD is not limited to just a day, but is an entire “global advocacy platform that brings together the voices and actions of non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to promote good menstrual hygiene management for women and girls everywhere.”
MHD has a clear mission and that is to break the silence, raise awareness and change the negative societal norms around menstrual hygiene management. Their platform aims to engage decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyze action for menstrual hygiene and health at global, local and national levels. MHD likes to highlight the fact that menstruation matters world, menstruation matters to boys and men, menstruation matters in all areas of life and is an issue of both equality and inclusion!
Who can celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day? Anyone anywhere in the world can celebrate. Not only that, but you can also go the extra mile by downloading campaign materials to help raise awareness and spread the word about MHD! What better day to help break taboos and stigmas that are associated with menstruation and menstrual hygiene.
As of last year, there were 503 Menstrual Hygiene Day events in 71 countries across the globe. There were more than 650 articles and reports in key international and national online media and television outlets and more than 700,00 interactions on social media. More than 130 million people were able to be reached and impacted with a positive and informative message about menstrual health and hygiene management.
With a strong vision to “create a world in which every woman and girl is empowered to manage her menstruation safely, hygienically, confidently and without shame” MHD works to ensure that no woman or girl is limited by what naturally occurs every month.
You can help this vision continue to go strong by now celebrating every May 28th with women and girls worldwide! Menstrual Hygiene Day might be something that you have never heard of before, but now you do and you can be apart of it by breaking the silence and raising awareness everywhere you go.
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