Proud of who I am, a woman

As a menstrual health educator in my community, we realized a lot of myths surrounding menstruation. We have received several stories from young girls plighting blockages from school, work to socializing created from cultural, religious and societal.

-young girls are not permitted to go to school or work when they are on their periods

-young girls who are stigmatized in schools when menstrual accidents occur

-cultures where young girls and women are treated as "unclean" during their periods and a cleansing ceremony is performed after.

-some women and girls who are not permitted to stand before men when on their period

This and many other have reduced menstrual which is an aspect of pride for every woman into a shameful thing.

I stand today to indulge women and young girls round the world: let's talk about our period with dignity, let's uphold our womanhood with pride, and let's raise a shout to the world so they know that menstruation is part of who we are and we will not be put on the low just because we are women.

To all the men and boys, it's time to join us. Buy a pad for someone; your mother, sister, partner and build and support them into reintegration. Together the world can be a period friendly one