Bold conversations dominate Menstrual Hygiene Day

Youth for a Sustainable World (YSW) proudly joined the global community in commemorating Menstrual Hygiene Day, amplifying efforts to end stigma, promote gender equality, and equip young people with the knowledge and tools to manage their menstrual health with dignity.

Despite being a natural biological process, menstruation remains shrouded in silence, myths, and shame in many communities. From the belief that menstruating girls are “unclean” to restrictions that prevent them from attending school, religious spaces, or even the dinner table, the stigma around periods continues to rob millions of girls and women of their confidence, rights, and opportunities.

YSW and its partners tackled these harmful norms head-on, combining education and services, to spark open, informed conversations about menstrual health.

At Sisbros Youth Empowerment Centre (YEC), peer educators led safe, youth-friendly sessions on menstruation, contraception, and SRHR, linking participants to essential services. In Dandora, over 250 youth marched through the streets enhance menstrual health awareness. The event included period product demos and the distribution of 3,000 pads.

In-school outreach flourished too. Great Hope Youth Group engaged 617 girls in Migori, while Msambweni YEC reached 900 students in Kwale through education and hygiene kit support. Nakuru’s efforts spanned seven schools, combining menstrual education with a targeted HPV vaccination drive to dispel myths and protect girls’ health.

YSW also took the conversation to the airwaves. Two radio talk shows in Kwale and West Pokot unpacked common menstrual myths, challenged deep-seated taboos, and called for policy-level change—most importantly, the full implementation of Kenya’s Menstrual Hygiene Management Policy.

Yet despite these efforts, the reality of period poverty continues to loom large. Many girls still miss school due to lack of access to products. Others resort to unsafe materials, risking infection and long-term health issues.

It’s time to end period shame. It’s time to ensure every adolescent and youth has access to accurate information, sustainable menstrual products, and clean, safe sanitation. It’s time for action—by parents, teachers, health workers, and policy makers—to champion menstrual equity as a fundamental human right.