40 women and girls from the Active City Development Program participated in a learning session held by UNFPA. It was important to not only discuss menstrual health but also to discuss ways to remove the stigma and discrimination surrounding female menstrual cycles. The team visited the Active City Development Program with regard to Menstrual Hygiene Day which is celebrated globally on May 28th. Menstrual Hygiene Day is one day that is set aside to promote good menstrual health and hygiene for women and girls around the world.
The visit was a two-hour learning experience held on Thursday, May 26, 2022, where the UNFPA team used visual arts elements as a tool to support and bridge the discussion regarding menstrual hygiene and health. The purpose of the visit was also to discuss challenges with period poverty. Period poverty is when a person’s social economic status impedes their access to acquiring the necessary health-related items to support their monthly flow cycle. Even lack of access to clean, running water is period poverty.
We are thankful for conversations and visits from the UNFPA on topics such as this. As ACDP seeks to empower women we must do so by recognizing the issues that cause challenges for women and girls in Port Moresby and throughout Papua New Guinea. By opening up the discussion on menstrual health both organizations continue to support women to become active members of society by valuing the beauty and uniqueness of their bodies and encouraging them to see themselves as unique, beautiful and valuable through each part of their cycle.