Dear Dr. Priyanka,


Also from my side many thanks for the overview of ASCI's recent work in May.
Are there any news or updates you are willing to share in the Forum on the ASCI's work and the MHM readiness surveys in the municipal schools in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana?
Furtermore, I would like to thank you for sharing the MHM resource. I, as part of the SuSanA Secretariat, have uploaded the Menstrual Hygiene Management Booklet in our SuSanA library order to increase the reach of this document. I personally really liked the "bilingual" character, respectively that you combined both, the Telugu and the English version in the booklet! It is great to see, read and hear about all these activities in the MHM sector!


Stay safe and healthy,

Finn

Dear Mr Paresh,

Apologies for the delay in response.

Please find attached the booklet on MHM developed by ASCI. Also you could visit our website  wins.asci.org.in/

Regards
Dr Priyanka

Dear Dr Priyanka,
Many thanks for providing an overview of ASCI's recent work on MHM.

I am curious if the booklet you mentioned can be shared (even if it is in Telegu, graphics may give an idea of its contents and may prod organisations working in other states to adapt.  It would also be great if you could share here the results of the MHM readiness surveys conducted in the two states. They may give pointers for organisations/individuals to steer their work.

Thanks
paresh

Dear SusaNa colleagues. 

Happy Menstrual Hygiene Day. 

One article I would like to share with you today is jointly written for the Guardian by Rt Hon Helen Clark, chair of the board of the  Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health  and former prime minister of New Zealand and Elhadj As Sy, chair of the board of the  Kofi Annan Foundation  and chair, advisory group of the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund/WSSCC.

The authors describe stress that stigma, taboo and lack of knowledge about menstruation, and unmet needs for essential health interventions and access to sanitation and hygiene systems for girls and women is an unacceptable crisis. 

In the article, Menstrual Health and Hygiene challenges such as; lack of knowledge and the means for the women and girls to manage their menstrual health safely and with dignity, are described as triggers for gender inequality, cultural taboos, poverty, and a lack of basic sanitation and hygiene. 

This article is well worth reading because both Helen Clark and Elhadj As Sy, are advocating for a change in  social and governmental attitudes toward the human right to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health. 

"Periods need to be accepted as a normal biological occurrence, not a shameful secret. Girls need to be able to remain and succeed in school. Women must have equal access to economic and social power. And girls and women both need to be able to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health."

Read more here: bit.ly/3gxNP9Y 

ASCI has been working tirelessly to impart MHM awareness and knowledge to all the adolescents’ girls and develop resource persons to help girls adopt safe menstrual hygiene practices. After successful implementation of the ‘Rosie’s World’ in partnership with WASH United in Andhra Pradesh in 2018, ASCI continued its impact in 2019 as well and developed a pictorial MHM booklet on topics including puberty,
menstruation and menstrual hygiene management for the Department of Women and Child Welfare, Andhra Pradesh (AP). This booklet was used to train multiple resource persons eg. 350 resource persons from Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) were trained who will in turn reach out to 20 lakh self-help group women in AP. The booklet is also to be distributed to about 20 lakh girl students in various government schools, junior colleges and hostels in AP.

Through CSR funding, ASCI has provided the following in two Indian states:
 
In Andhra Pradesh
a.     MHM readiness survey in the 35 municipal schools with adolescent girls
b.     Training to all the 7800 students and 35 teachers in 35 municipal schools in three towns of AP - Narsapur, Palacole, Kovvur
c.      Installed electric incinerators in all the schools
d.     Provided sanitary pads
 
In Telangana:
a.     MHM readiness survey in the 70 municipal schools with adolescent girls
b.     Trainedand developed master trainers - 140 students and 140 teachers (i.e. 2 teachers and 2 students from each school)
c.      70 sanitation workers in the schools have been trained on MHM
d.     Provision of sanitary pads for one year to all students by the city government
e.     The members (men and women) of slum sanitation committees of 25 slums in Warangal were also trained on MHM

From:
Dr Priyanka  
Senior Research Fellow
Administrative Staff College of India
Bella Vista, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

IT’S TIME FOR ACTION!

Today, 28 May 2019, is international Mentrual Hygiene Day. In 2018, 310 organizations educated 27.2 million girls across 134 countries. Projections for 2019 are even more exciting: Participating organizations committed to educate a total of 41.4 million girls all over the world. This is a year-to-year increase of 52%!

Spread the word, support the awareness campaign by using and following hashtags:#ItsTimeForAction #NoMoreLimits #MHDAY2019

The official MH Day website has a number of useful campaign materials, posters, visuals etc for free download to help you with you with your efforts to break the taboo, raise awareness, end stigma, and call for action!

It is incredibly inspiring and motivating to see many creative, informative and awareness raising celebrations around #MHDay2019. Let us collect activities, campaigns, workshops and ideas from all over the world here.

Some success stories from the official MHDay platform:
Slum Soccer/
Days for Girls
Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI)
ZanaAfrica Foundation

You can see what happens in your region by browsing this MH Day 2019 events calendar .

If you would like to share your (social media) campaigns, resources, images and events please aswell, post them here or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Best regards,
Franziska

on behalf of the SuSanA secretariat