Periods are a natural body function and here is no need for embarrassment, awkwardness or shame. Taboos and the culture of silence has resulted in neglect for women and girls who lack appropriate menstrual hygiene products. Talia Women's Network will restore dignity to 500 girls through increased access to safe and hygienic menstrual hygiene products and community dialogue sessions on sexual reproductive health and rights matters.
According to ZimStats 2017, 52% of the population of Zimbabwe is women. Despite efforts to advance women's rights, women and girls still face extraordinary barriers because of something as natural as menstruation. The lack of proper sanitation facilities and affordable hygiene products for use by adolescent girls and women at home, school or work, affects their health; their potential to access education, employment; overall safety, productivity and quality of life.
The project will provide a multi-sectoral approach to menstrual health management for 500 school girls in rural Bindura. This approach will promote positive attitudes that are critical for transformative change to be realised. Provision of menstrual products alone cannot be the solution to menstrual difficulties - the project will embrace complexity in understanding menstrual experiences including comfort, knowledge of menstruation, access to social support structures and cultural taboos.
Increased access to menstrual health services and sexual reproductive rights and health improves the chances of getting 500 girls to acquire an education. The project will create community safety nets that protect vulnerable girls from abuse, gender based violence, early childhood marriages, unwanted pregnancies and teen pregnancies. It will stimulate dialogue and influence government policies to include menstrual health management.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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