By Chandan Kumar Sahu
BERHAMPUR: In a commendable effort to combat the stigma and social taboos associated with menstruation, adolescents from the ‘ADVIKA groups’ in Rangeilunda block have launched a campaign to raise awareness and promote menstrual hygiene among their peers. This initiative coincides with World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024, celebrated globally under the theme “Creating a World without Period Poverty and Stigma”.
The campaign, involving school adolescents from various Gram Panchayats including Mantridi, Golanthara, Padmapur, Indrakhi, Satakutuni, Bahabinipur, Radha, Rangipur, Badakushasthali, Golabandha, and Gounju, aims to sensitize the youth on issues related to menstrual hygiene and fight for improved access to menstrual products, sanitation infrastructure, and public services. These efforts also focus on addressing the broader issues of the status of women and girls in society and gender disparity.
As part of this initiative, volunteers from Youth for Social Developments are working diligently to create awareness among adolescents and the community. Their efforts encompass educating the public about menstruation hygiene, promoting health and the right age for marriage, identifying school and college dropouts, and providing skill development with an emphasis on employability and life skills. The campaign also aims to foster gender equality through adolescent collectives and teen clubs.
A roadmap has been developed to sensitize girls in 32 Gram Panchayats of Rangeilunda Block. This roadmap addresses fighting social stigma and taboos, improving access to sanitation infrastructure and menstrual products, providing life skills, encouraging school and college re-enrollment, and linking skill development for livelihood opportunities. Additionally, the campaign emphasizes the development of leadership skills among young girls to promote a gender-parity society.
The initiative also involves collaboration with ASHA workers, ANM, and Anganwadi Workers to enhance service delivery to adolescents. These efforts are pivotal in breaking the silence, raising awareness, and changing negative social norms surrounding menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
On this occasion, notable facilitators including Mamali Pand, Gitanjali Panigrahi, Niki Pradhan, and Sudeep Kumar Chakrabartiy actively participated and guided the volunteers. Their leadership and dedication are instrumental in driving this transformative campaign forward.
As the world observes World Menstrual Hygiene Day, these adolescents from Rangeilunda block are setting a powerful example of grassroots activism and community engagement, striving to create a world free from period poverty and stigma.
