Men must be educated on menstrual health, says Odisha Dy CM Pravati Parida
BHUBANESWAR: Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday called for access to safe menstrual solutions at workplaces and educational institutions as an essential move.
Speaking at the inauguration of 'Project Period: Sanitation, Health & Hygiene, and Environment (SHE)' initiative by IIT Bhubaneswar's Research & Entrepreneurship Park on the day, Parida said there is a need for cultural transformation as far as menstrual awareness is concerned.
'The day sanitary napkins become part of a family's monthly grocery list or a brother's gift to his sister, we will witness real progress in women's empowerment. Men must also be educated on menstrual health to help break the stigma,' she added.
The deputy chief minister launched Project CARE (Campus Action for Reusable Essentials), an initiative to promote the use of reusable menstrual products among school and college-going girls, and distributed eco-friendly reusable menstrual pads to women from underserved communities. Parida also unveiled two sanitary napkin vending machines on the campus.
'Menstruation, a biological process, has long been shrouded in taboo, forcing generations of women to suffer in silence. It's time we break this silence, and initiatives like these are key to driving change,' she said.
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