Happy Menstrual Hygiene Day! Today is a very important day for women and girls all over the world, and a day to break the silence surrounding menstrual hygiene. Menstrual hygiene is an important topic because without it girls cannot go to school during their period, women cannot go to work during their period, and neither girls nor women can be themselves when they have to hide their period every month.

When girls can’t go to school, and women can not go to work, the cycle of poverty continues. This cycle needs to be broken. Please take a look at the official Menstrual Hygiene Day site and get educated about menstrual hygiene (especially the guys out there).

A great organization, WaterEmpowerment, has come up with a solution for women and girls that cannot afford, or do not have access to, commercial pads used during a woman’s period; they call it the Padini! You can find some information about the Padini below (they even have a version for those without underwear!).

If you want to do some good this Menstrual Hygiene Day consider donating to WaterEmpowerment so that they can buy more supplies, train more people on how to make Padini’s, and improve the lives of girls and women.

While the Padini is a great idea, the work cant stop here.  Girls and women need sanitary toilets at their schools and workplaces so that they can feel comfortable being there during their period (and any other time).  Further, the public needs to be educated so that menstrual hygiene stops being such a taboo topic, and woman stop being alienated when they get their period.

What did you do to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day this year?

Thanks for reading.