Public campaigns invoking menstrual hygiene often provoke disgust and draw public anger. Such campaigns are usually accused of pursuing a liberal agenda, but the reality is that women in flood-affected rural areas need menstrual products for personal hygiene and care as equally as other women living in the comfort of their homes. Aisha Memon, an alumna of Global UGRAD Fall 2021 took the initiative of making an NGO named “Conversation for Change” with the objective of making an enormous difference for women trying to retain their dignity in desperate times. She is promoting women’s menstrual hygiene and sensitizing women about the use of sanitary kits in flood-affected areas. Aisha is providing hygiene products to women affected by the ravaging floods that have displaced more than 33 million people in Pakistan.
As a medical student, she is completely aware of how easily women get infected with deadly genital infections that can harm their generations. Therefore, Aisha is breaking this taboo of our society which works under a strict code of honor and speaking about women’s menstrual needs is highly rare. She is helping women with their menstrual needs.
Aisha has covered almost all affected areas of her district Kamber Shahdadkot without any financial help because she believes everyone must play their part individually by going out and helping on the ground level instead of donating money or kits to her as it’s the responsibility of every single person living here.
In Pakistan, a significant portion of women uses unhygienic means i.e., leaves, or clothes to manage menstruation due to poverty, lack of awareness, and the existence of stigmas and taboos surrounding the subject. Aisha believes it’s high time to sensitize everyone and break this taboo of bleeding monthly.
