OBSERVANCE OF MENSTRUAL HYGIENE WEEK 2023
Keeping up with the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF)’s endeavour of ‘Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030’ Livingstone Foundation Society in collaboration with JCI Dimapur and Nagaland Menstrual Health Initiative conducted a rally and seminar for students, parents, mentors and staff members at Livingstone Foundation International on the 19th of May 2023.
The day began with a Rally which was carried out for generating awareness among the masses on menstrual health hygiene. All female students along with the female mentors from Grades-VI to XII took part in the rally which started at 9:30 AM from the LFI school campus gate to Thahekhu Gate junction and back. The students and mentors enthusiastically displayed placards and banners depicting themes and slogans on the issue of menstrual health.
A special seminar for disseminating information and creating awareness on menstrual health and hygiene among the students, mentors, staff and parents was also conducted after the rally at the LFI Auditorium. The seminar was conducted across three separate sessions.
The first session for girl students of Grades-VI to XII was conducted from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM and was led by renowned gynecologist from Eden Medical Centre & Hospital, Dimapur, Dr. Vili Swu who gave a very meticulous discourse on the various aspects of menstruation or periods as commonly understood. She highlighted on the initial periods of adolescence and menstrual cycle in girls. She also advised the students on how to properly use menstrual sanitary pads. She also emphasized on Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) along with the symptoms associated with the syndrome which include abdominal cramps, mood swings, backache, enlargement of breast and consistent pain, etc. She also highlighted various remedies for correcting PMS. Dr. Vili also explained in detail about the type of hygiene to be maintained during menstruation. She also advised the girls not to involve in early sexual activity as it leads to unwanted pregnancy and diseases like HIV-AIDS. She also informed the gathering about the access to cervical cancer vaccine card for all women who are over 17 years of age.
The second session was covered for the male students and mentors of Grades-VI to XII by Mr. Thuireishang Jamang, PGT who brought to fore the importance of educating even the men folk on the issue of menstruation as everyone of them may at some point of time have to help or assist a female member of the family including sisters. He asked the male students not to consider menstruation among girls as a shameful thing or as a taboo but to consider it as a part of physiology of the girls. He called upon the male students and mentors to normalize menstruation among females and render help wherever and whenever required by any female in the society who is facing trauma or shame due to menstruation.
The final session of the day was carried forward by Ms. Loreni Sophia and her team from Nagaland Menstrual Health Initiative who conducted a very educative discourse for the female parents and support staff of the school whereby they were given valuable insights on the importance of maintaining menstrual hygiene and various aspects of menstruation and menopause and how they affect a woman’s identity and personality.
