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Menstrualhygieneday.org

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY 2016
Compiled by the International Secretariat

This document will help you plan for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2016. It is meant to give you guidance Menstrual Hygiene Management.6 and inspiration for all your activities. Theme 2016: #Menstruationmatters to everyone, If you have a great tip or suggestion to share with the Secretariat, please email to: MH Day planning tips .14 MENSTRUAL
HYGIENE DAY

Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated every year Menstrual Hygiene Day is an open and global platform for partners across all sectors to engage in awareness, advocacy and knowledge-sharing around the importance Image: Uganda MHM Coalition of menstrual hygiene management.
To create a world in which every woman and girl can manage her menstruation in a hygienic way – wherever she is – in privacy, safety and with dignity.
Menstrual Hygiene Day will help to break the silence and build awareness about the fundamental role that good menstrual hygiene management (MHM) plays in en- abling women and girls to reach their full potential.
Partner Alliance
Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) is currently supported by > 380 partner organisations worldwide (Status April 2016), bringing together non-profits, government agen- cies, the private sector, the media and individuals.
The partner network is constantly growing and expanding to more and more countries. A current overview can be How can I become partner?
Our partners all have one thing in common: they are work- WASH United is the initiator of Menstrual Hygiene Day ing on the issue of menstruation and support the global and acts as its International Secretariat. As the Interna- vision and mission of Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day). tional Secretariat, WASH United coordinates MH Day and manages the MH Day Alliance of more than 380 partner As a partner on MH Day, we welcome you to contribute organisations. This includes: your time, energy and ideas to make this day a real, big • Developing the global strategic direction of MH Day, as deal. There is no financial obligation in getting involved.
well as key campaign and advocacy materials; • Managing communication between MH Day Alliance Contact us and send us your logo as a symbol of support.
• Managing external communication, including the MH Day website, social media and serving as a focal point What if I am an individual?
Menstrual Hygiene Day can be celebrated by everyone • Issuing the regular MHM newsletter ("Keep the flow everywhere! While you cannot become an official partner, you can of course use all the materials available on the • Supporting partners in the planning and implementa- website, and mobilize your friends and colleagues for the tion of MH Day activities; • Promoting collaborations between partners globally Simply subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on social and at country level; media for the latest updates. • Reporting on MH Day activities.
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT
Definition
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) define Menstrual Hygiene
Management (MHM) as
• the articulation, awareness, information and confidence to manage menstruation with safety and dignity using safe hygienic materials, together with • adequate water and agents and spaces for washing and bathing and • disposal with privacy and dignity.1 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) includes additional systemic factors:2 • informed and comfortable professionals • referral and access to health services • positive social norms • advocacy and policy.
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT
Facts Facts Facts
It is always good to have facts to If you want to learn more about make the case for why menstruation MHM, these are – in our opinion - matters. To make it easier, we have the TOP 3 resources: • House, S., Mahon, T., Cavill, S. (2012). Menstrual hygiene matters - A resource for improv- Specific factsheets ing menstrual hygiene around the world. WaterAid ( For the environment • UNESCO (2014). Puberty Educa- tion & Menstrual Hygiene For human rights • Sumpter C., Torondel B. (2013). A Systematic Review of the Health We have these factsheets also in and Social Effects of Menstrual French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swa- Hygiene Management. ) hili, Wolof, and Acholi. Country specific factsheets are available for Kenya, Uganda and And much more you can find on the THEME FOR 2016
to everyone, everywhere

About the theme
Download the infographic &
The theme for 2016 "menstruationmatters to everyone, everywhere" was jointly developed by the partners of the get the factsheets here:
MH Day Alliance.
Here is why and how menstruation matters in relation to different aspects. For your own campaign you can chose all aspects or focus on a particular one. Menstruation is
Menstruation is
matters to
matters in
a matter of
an issue of
BOYS & MEN
ALL AREAS OF LIFE
around the world need ative social norms need to be able to miss out on educa- with disabilities of- to manage their men- manage their men- tion, work and other struation during their tion are perpetu- struation in all areas opportunities in life specific require- reproductive age. The ated by society as of life – at home, when they cannot specific challenges a whole, including in school, at work, that women and girls experience differ men. Including men when travelling, etc. menstruation with their menstruation widely, depending on, with normalcy and and girls can man- dignity. Taboos and in dignity. These about menstruation age their menstru- myths related to need to be taken customs, education, is therefore critical ation with normalcy menstruation often into account in all to creating normal- and in dignity, their portray women and areas of life.
cy and fostering a needs need to be girls as inferior to factors. Yet it is fair supportive environ- taken into account men and boys. This to say that managing in all areas of life.
undermines gender menstruation with equality and often normalcy and in digni- ty remains a challenge

Menstruation matters to achieving the
Menstruation is a matter of
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
HUMAN RIGHTS
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been adopted Menstruation is an issue of human rights in 2015. While there is no specific goal or indicator related to MHM, and dignity. Many human rights are menstruation matters to several SDGs.
important to ensure that women and girls can manage their menstruation adequately Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, and with dignity. This includes the right to including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health water, the right to sanitation, the right to into national strategies and programmes.
health and access to health-related educa- Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportuni-
tion, including on sexual and reproductive health. When women and girls cannot Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
manage their menstruation adequately and Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality techni- with dignity, it impacts on their human rights, cal, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all including on the right to education, the right levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, to work, the right to health and on gender indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.
equality and dignity more broadly. Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.

Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water Target 6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive em-
ployment and decent work for all Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all work- ers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employ-
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Menstruation matters
TO TRANSGENDER PEOPLE Not only women and girls menstruate. Transgender and intersex people may also menstruate if they were born biologically female. They often face spe- cific challenges in managing their men- struation with normalcy and in dignity, especially with regard to the use of facilities and access to health Gender neutral terms
If you want to use gender neutral terms, here are suggestions provided by our partner Period Positive: Instead of.
Replace it with.
Becoming a woman Feminine hygiene products Menstrual products Mothers and daughters Parents and children People and adolescents .who menstruate Menstruator People with periods MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY
Tips & Resources
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT!
Whether you do something as amazing as your own MH Day campaign, or as simple as sharing our templates and
message amongst your networks, every action counts. There are many ways for you or your organisation to get involved. We've listed some ideas below.
Use and share our materials widely
Show your support on social media
Create an MH Day event and add it on the map
Reach out and involve media
Engage politicians, religious leaders, stars, .
Use and share our materials widely
On the website we have uploaded all materials for print What materials is available?

Brand new Materials for 2016 are:
• Poster with illustrations of peoples perspectives • Poster with the slogan You can of course create your own materials, but we • Poster with icons would appreciate if you inlude at least the MH Day logo • Banner with the annual theme and the slogan for this year! And in addition we have the MHDay Planner 2016, So- cial Media sheet, and a press release. The licence under creative commons is Of course, you can use all materials from last years, too! such as the infographic, factsheets, Exhibition Toolkit, 28 conversations, etc.
Help to translate materials!
Why is there a different slogan?
We want all the Menstrual Hygiene Day resources to be accessible to as many people as possible globally. We "Every Day can be a Good Day"
generally develop materials in English. Partners of the MH Day Alliance help to translate them into their The annual theme is the lead theme for the campaign. For campaign materials to work in different media, it Please help us to translate the materials into other lan- requires a "story". Based on the lead theme, the headline guages! If you send us your translation, we will add it to slogan of the campaign "Every day can be a good day" was the materials section.
derived from it. #menstruationmatters for everyone, every- Please contact us at [email protected], where and every day! Every Day can be a Good Day
The story of this year's campaign is that "every day can be a good day", including the days of the period. In the cam-
paign, different people explain what makes days on the period normal and good. The different perspectives- Illustrations:
The girls
The mother
Available as Asian, Arab and African girls Available as Asian, Arab and African mother The father
The brother
Do you want to add different Let us know and we might be able to create more sets for you! We also provided for templates so you can enter your own text. Available as Asian and African father Available as African brother Every Day can be a Good
How you can use this year's materials !
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Enter your text into a word.doc Your image and text Combine the text with your images In word the image is locked in the Use the colour.png to place it next to your Or use the transparent.png and back. Enter your text. image.Enter your text. place it over your image. Include your logo. Include your logo. or any other information. or any other information. Include your logo. such as facts & text. such as facts & text. or any other information.
Show your support on social media
Check the special social Media Sheet
4 Simple ways to support!
CREATE A BADGE
SIMPLY SHARE OUR
CONTENT & SHARE
YOURS WITH US!
PROFILE PIC!
Top Tweets!
#MenstruationMatters for everyone everywhere! Celebrating
#MenstrualHygieneDay on May 28. http://bit.ly/23K0Hkq. PRINT, TEXT &
SHARE YOUR
SHARE YOUR
#GOODDAY
Every day can be a #goodday, if girls can attend school during their #period. #MenstruationMatters #mhday (ADD IMAGE or http://bit.ly/23K0Hkq) your story online #MenstruationMatters for the #SDGs: for achieving #health twitter /facebook / #education #WASH #genderequality #work #sustainability.
Create an event and add it on our map
What activities should I do on MH Day?
You know your location and audience best – and can or- ganize activities according to what you want to achieve, your resources and ideas. The Secretariat does not pre- scribe what activities partners should do. • A generic event check-guide can be found on the following pages. • Get inspiration from previous events ☺ • Come together in pooling ideas and If you have a great tip or suggestion that you would like to share, please email [email protected]. What about funding for my activities?
Please note that the Menstrual Hygiene Day Secretariat does not provide any financial support for your activities. But of course you can fundraise for the event, or by pooling resources with other partners. Event Planning Steps
Besides that it is Menstrual Hygiene Day: What is the objective for my activity?
• What do you hope to achieve? Do I have a call to action ?
• Who is your target audience? • How do you translate the annual theme to your context? • Contact local partners and potential supporters. 2 Organize your team
• Contact Secretariat for partners in your country Coordinate with partners
• Consider identifying one key person for overall management Mobilize funds
• if required, assign individual persons/partners to handle specfic activity tasks 3 Select activities
• See next page • Overall budget required & sponsoring 4 Detailed planning
• Materials (including time & budget • Speakers/presenters, VIP and partner management • Publicity/promotion (online & off-line, e.g.
• Volunteer management • Share photos, video and stories online and with partners 5 Reporting
• Fill in our activity report, so your event will be integrated in the global MH Day 2016 report. • Send thank-you letters to all volunteers, partners and Create an event and add it on the map
Some suggestions for events
Some materials we have for you:
Community event
Hold an cultural & educational forum. Ask other public officials and faith-based Banner, Poster, Factsheets, Press release,
leaders to participate. Exhibution Toolkit, Education Tools, .
Rally your network and your community via a parade, run, flash mob, submitting a Banner, Poster, T-Shirts, .
petition to politicians to create awareness around MHM. Exhibition, art & music event
Using art (exhibition, dance, drawing, movies) and music to create an event that Exhibition Tookit, Videos, Storytelling,
creates a more cultural approach to menstruation. It is great opportunity to involve Myth& Taboo Map,.
local artists and young people to express their feelings, experiences, attitudes and Stakeholder Meeting & Conference
Bring together political leaders, personalities, specialists or influential people from Infographic, Factsheets, .
your community to debate and discuss the importance of menstrual health & hygiene. Education sessions in schools & other locations
Educational Tools, Pad Making Workshop,
Conduct education sessions with teachers and students (girls and boys). You can also Exhibition Toolkit, 28 Conversations,
include fun activities such as essay, painting or drama contests. Other locations can be prisons, health centers, universities, public institutions, etc. to really stress the issue of "everywhere". Open day at your organization
Exhibition Toolkit, 28 Conversations, .
Invite members of the community to an open day at your organization to promote your work throughout the year.
Fundraiser event
Factsheets, Press release,
Be it for your own project, or as a donation drive benefiiting other partners projects, a Exhibition Toolkit, .
fundraiser event is always a good change. You can also use a crowdsurfing platform! Create an event and add it on the map
How can I promote my event?
Via the MH Day website
We have created a link where you can enter your event details. The information will automatically enter our system and after a quick check from our side, will appear on a map on the MH Day website. Via the MH Day Facebook site
Use the same link, and we will include also the event on the MH Day Facebook site. Via your own channels
Promote your event through your newsletter, a press re- lease, an email blast, a FB invite, posters/fliers, or good old word of mouth. If you set up your on event page, share this Make your event known!
Report back on your event!
How can I find an event near me? Can I attend ?
We would love to hear from you how it went! Check the MH Day website or Facebook event page to find an Particularly because we share highlights and all events event near you. The contact details of the organizers are often later to everyone. Events will also be featured on the website! To attend a specific event, please contact the organizers. PLease note, that some events are open to the public and some events might be a closed meeting. Reach out and involve media
It is always good to invite and involve media. Special pro- grammes for e.g. women, education are usually interested Official press release
and looking for good content, especially around media opportunities such as Awareness Days. We have created a press release and some additional materials for media. Promotion and involvement in your event
Invite a range of media to your activities. Having media Feel free to use it and adapt for your context.
present is always a good incentive for officials and other dignitaries to attend, and vice versa. Maybe even hold a press conference with elected officials to raise public awareness importance of menstruation. Tips on working with media
• Exlore which media and journalists, and which spe- Write an article or an editorial letter about MHM, your work cific formats have an interest in women, education, and include Menstrual Hygiene Day. If you need more information, simply contact us! • Make the reporter's job "easy." by preparing back- ground information, case studies and data in advance • Focus on key messages and get those across • Identify a spokesperson Conduct radio-talk shows and call-in programmes, • Give the beneficiaries a voice encourage radio stations to air public service • The more compelling and interesting your story, the more likely the chance to get featured Engage politicians, religious leaders, stars, .
Champions for the cause
Politicians, religious leaders, and stars from sport & culture Ambassadors for Mh Day
can be great spokespersons for the cause! Some of the great champions that partners have mobilized: • First ladies of county Feel free to reach potential local Ambassadors. The Secre- • Female parliamentarians tariat can assist you by providing you with an official letter of support or more information if required. • Hollywood actresses (such as Frida Pinto) As role models they can strongly support to overcome the silence, get the message through to beneficiaries in a personal way, and usually create media attention. Men in menstruation
Under the theme menstruation matters for everyone, the importance of boys & men to create the required support is highlighted. Therefore we encourage you to engage male champions for the cause, too! These can be powerful role models. Just think about "Menstrual Man" ! Happy Planning!

Source: http://menstrualhygieneday.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/MHDay2016_Planner_FINAL.pdf