Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan.

Facing threats and alienation, women push for menstrual awareness in a country where women’s health taboos limit rights.
By Rachel “Sink” Lindsay
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan

Pakistan Floods.

Last year, more than 33 million people in Pakistan were affected by record-breaking torrential rain and flash floods, leaving 8.2 million women of reproductive age to manage their menstrual needs without support.

Source: Reliefweb International

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 2: Aljazeera
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 3: Mahwari Justice

A Brave New Alliance.

Anum Khalid, a 24-year-old architectural engineering student in Multan, posted on Facebook asking for help in gathering relief supplies. Soon after, she received a reply from Bushra Mahnoor, 22, a psychology student in Lahore. Despite never meeting, the two began working together.

Source: Aljazeera

Dire Conditions.

After speaking with women in affected areas, Bushra and Anum learned that they were using whatever they could find for menstrual supplies: sand, dried leaves, cow dung, and cloth. Those in standing water conditions had nowhere to wash or dry their period cloths. One mother in Lasbela even said that her daughters shared the same rag.

Source: Aljazeera

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 4: Mahwari Justice
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 5: Mahwari Justice

Mahwari Justice & Sexist Setbacks.

Bushra and Anum formed an aid group called Mahwari Justice (“mahwari” means menstruation in Urdu), delivering menstrual supply kits to women in Sindh and Balochistan. Despite receiving help from community members, they were rejected by the majority of men they contacted for support.

Source: Aljazeera

Period Shame.

Shame and lack of education around the subject of periods remains prevalent in Pakistan. One Urdu word for “vagina”––”sharamgah”––even translates to “a place of shame.”

Source: Aljazeera

 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 6: HER Pakistan
Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 7: HER Pakistan

Other Women Joining The Fight.

Fortunately, progress continues. In 2018, Sana Lokhandwala formed HER Pakistan, an organization working to increase menstrual awareness among women in impoverished neighborhoods. Meanwhile, femtech entrepreneur Saba Khalid developed Raaji, a chatbot that answers questions about periods.

Source: Aljazeera

“It’s about the female body. We don’t want to allow conversations about women’s bodies or what they need.”

—Sana Lokhandwala

Women Activists Challenging Period Taboos in Pakistan
Source 8: HER Pakistan

Watch films related to this topic

The Bloody Truth: A look into period poverty

Schedule for Change

Stay Informed with our Newsletter.

Receive exclusive invitations to our programs; free films to watch from free film collection Voices For Change; news about gender equality around the world; and access to our partners’ programs.