Women empowerment is important for the well-being of our communities and countries. Women play an important role in bettering our societies and the communities we operate in every day. Women empowerment can be achieved in many ways, but one way is through proper menstrual health and hygiene management.
Women’s empowerment can be defined as promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others. Without proper access to menstrual health and hygiene management women are held back from loving themselves, making their own choices, and advocating for important changes within the world. When women don’t have access to basic sanitation methods or menstrual products, they can feel embarrassed, vulnerable, and often they are confined to their homes.
UNICEF refers to Menstrual Health Management as the “management of hygiene associated
with the menstrual process.” Proper menstrual health management is when women and girls use clean menstrual products such as sanitary pads or tampons, to maintain their menstrual blood and have a private place to change their menstrual products as often as they need during their full cycle. They also are using soap and clean water to wash their hands and body and have proper access to dispose of their menstrual products. Proper menstrual health management isn’t only about the products that maintain women and girls’ menstrual blood and having access to proper sanitation methods it is also about education. Women and girls should understand the facts about menstruation and how to manage their cycles with confidence.
Menstrual health and hygiene include both menstrual health management and “the broader
systemic factors that link menstruation with health, well-being, gender equality, education,
equity, empowerment, and rights” according to UNICEF. UNESCO summarizes the systematic factors as “accurate and timely knowledge, available, safe, and affordable materials,
informed and comfortable professionals, referral and access to health services, sanitation
and washing facilities, positive social norms, safe and hygienic disposal, and advocacy and
policy.”
Menstruating women worldwide are not educated on menstruation and without the proper education these women are risking their mental health. Their confidence levels are lower, and they practice unhealthy habits because they lack the proper knowledge. Menstruation should be discussed not only in the homes of future menstruating girls to better prepare them for their first cycle but also in schools. When women are educated on menstruation, they can practice healthy habits and build their confidence. Education plays a huge role in women empowerment. When women are educated the can “pursue meaningful work and contribute to their country’s economy later in life” stated World Vision, an organization that works with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.
In-Conclusion:
By educating women and young girls around the world on proper menstrual health and hygiene management we can empower women on a global level. By educating girls before they experience their first cycle, we can help them feel prepared and confident when the time comes. At Stetho Health Systems we focus on women empowerment so that women feel comfortable enough to be vocal about their menstrual health and hygiene needs and can seek help with any issues whenever required. We want to be able to educate and avail healthy products to females to develop a healthy ecosystem to fulfill all women’s menstrual needs and encourage their self-love and confidence.
Cristiana Sandor, CEO Stetho Health Systems stated that “Better Menstrual Health & Hygiene has been linked to a form of Women empowerment where with sufficient infrastructure, good-quality menstruation products, better privacy and awareness, young girls and women can go to school, work, have careers, be amazing superwomen, without the worry of halt menstruation can bring to their lives.” It is important that women and young girls feel supported, educated and well equipped when it come to their menstrual health and hygiene needs. At Stetho Health Systems it is important for us to help women and young girls worldwide with all their menstrual needs the best we can, so they feel empowered and confident every day.
