May 24,2018
Superstar Akshay Kumar, who will participate in a Menstrual Awareness
Conclave here to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, says the society can only
implement change if there are discussions.
He has urged people everyone
should ensure that all women have the right to manage their periods safely and
with dignity.
"The Menstrual Awareness Conclave is a crucial assembly of
minds, influencers and change makers - convening under one roof with the common
goal of tackling the urgent issues, taboos and stigmas associated with menstrual
hygiene.
"We as a collective society can only implement change once we
initiate discussion, and the conclave on Menstrual Hygiene Day is a fitting
platform for us to truly empower a nation of women. Together we can ensure that
every female has the right to manage her period safely and with dignity," Akshay
said in a statement.
The "Pad Man" star will attend the event as its
chief guest, along with The Nine Movement and national change makers.
The
Niine Movement, conceived by Amar Tulsiyan, is an ambitious five-year plan aimed
at raising awareness of the importance of menstrual hygiene and tackling the
taboos associated with menstruation. It will be officially launched at the
conclave.
The Menstrual Awareness Conclave will feature two high-level
panels, which will engage prominent change-makers from the field of menstrual
hygiene awareness and management.
The first panel is chaired and
moderated by Poonam Muttreja, the Executive Director of the Population
Foundation of India (PFI), which has been at the forefront of policy advocacy
and research on gender, population, health and development issues in India.
She will speak to eminent panellists focusing on the importance of menstrual
hygiene management awareness and practice and the work already being conducted
on ground to tackle the issues and address the barriers.
Some of the
panelists include film actor and women's rights activist Shabana Azmi and
Avinash Kumar, Director Programme and Policy, WaterAid India, an NGO which aims
to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people by improving
access to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services.
Tulsiyan said:
"Menstrual hygiene awareness is an issue that is severely under-represented in
this country, as demonstrated by the amount of women who still don't use proper
menstrual hygiene products to manage their periods.
"With the conclave, I
am hopeful that we can inspire and motivate everyone to get involved and join
the Chain of Niine."
Film personalities, academics, policymakers,
government officials, activists, business stalwarts, NGOs, and thought-leaders
will discuss the impact that stigma and taboos have had on menstruation, which
have held girls and women back for centuries from achieving their potential and
living a life of menstrual dignity.
The event aims to provide an
essential platform focusing on collaboration, innovation and cooperation to
assess, plan and put into action sustainable solutions to tackling menstrual
issues across India, with the support of leading change-makers.
Akshay
tackled the issue of menstrual taboo with his recent award-winning film "Pad
Man" and will take to the stage to interact with the audience, sharing
experiences of his time filming the movie, and explaining why he was so
compelled to not only star but produce a film on the subject.
Earlier
this month, he extended support to the nationwide campaign for the Niine
Movement - #18to82 - to bridge the gap between the 18 per cent of menstruating
females in India who use sanitary napkins, and the 82 per cent predominantly
engaging in unhygienic practices.