In order to promote ‘menstrual hygiene & reproductive health’, a special program was organized by ISCI Foundation with its CSR partner Essar TMT and in association with GOGS, Gwalior for the marginalized women and girls at Harijan Mohalla, Gwalior on the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day. Menstrual hygiene day is observed on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management at the global level. The main objective of the program was to remove taboos related to menstruation, break the silence, provide awareness on menstrual hygiene, change negative social norms, and end period poverty.
Before the program, a survey was conducted to know the problems related to menstruation and reproductive health of women and adolescent girls. This program was held to solve their problems and create awareness. At the end of this program, menstrual hygiene kits were distributed to marginalized women and girls.
Prominent guests and the speakers in the program were Dr. ShashiBala Bhonsale Sao the President of GOGS, Dr. Veera Lohia the past president of GOGS, Dr. Swati Joshi the vice president of GOGS & Dr. Jyoti Upadhyay the Executive member of GOGS and Mrs.Sweta Modi the director of ISCI Foundation, Gwalior.
The program was commenced by Mrs. Sweta Modi the director of ISCI Foundation, who introduced the esteemed guest doctors from GOGS to the girls and talked about the importance of the day.
Dr. Swati talked about the importance of periods in a girl’s life and also about maintaining menstrual hygiene. She told the girls about the importance of using sanitary napkins and about their proper disposal. Dr. Jyoti talked about the taboos related to menstruation and also about changing the negative social norms. Dr.Lohia talked about the diseases related to gynecological problems and common reasons by which this problem arises and how to avoid them. In the end, Dr.ShahsiBala talked about the preventions that need to be taken care of while menstruation.
The doctors also took the queries from the girls and provided solutions to them. After that Mrs.Sweta and Mohit along with the volunteers Aditi, Vaibhav, Pontino & the doctors distributed free menstrual hygiene kits sponsored by EssarTmt to the girls.
Mohit Modi, Director at ISCI Foundation and program coordinator, coordinated the program with help of team members of ISCI Foundation.