World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2023: 10 Key Facts That You Should Know, and Quotes to Share

WORLD MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY 2023: Menstruation or periods is a natural phenomenon that occurs in women due to ovulation-induced hormonal changes. The thickened inner lining of the uterus along with blood is discharged through the vagina. It starts by the age of 11 or 12 in adolescent girls and continues till they reach 45-55. Once a girl hits puberty, she is taught about menstrual hygiene products that are essential to prevent uterine infection.

World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed on May 28 to educate women about the importance of this hygiene. Below, we share 10 key facts about the day and some relevant quotes that you can share with your family and loved ones.

World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2023: Key Facts

1. Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) was established in 2013 by WASH United, a German NGO. The first MH Day was celebrated in 2014.
2. Taboos, social stigma and lack of education keep many young girls and adult women ignorant about menstrual hygiene in many developing nations.
3. Many women belonging to communities lack access to clean water and sanitary pads. This leads to restrictions and compromises on their education and betterment.
4. Arunachalam Muruganantham invented a machine that could make inexpensive sanitary pads for women in India.
5. MH Day promotes proper menstrual health and hygiene globally, by involving non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media under one umbrella.
6. MH Day transforms the negative connotations around periods into a positive outlook that supports good menstrual hygiene.
7. MH Day urges policy-makers and political heads to use their influence in ensuring local and national level action to promote menstrual hygiene.
8. MH Day intends to ensure that by 2030, women across the world become aware of menstrual hygiene, receive proper treatment for the phenomenon and aren’t held back from normal activities, education or work.
9. MH Day also intends to ensure that all girls get access to menstruation-friendly water in schools.
10. Good menstrual hygiene is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations; particularly SDG1, SDG3, SDG4, SDG5 and SDG6.

World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2023: Quotes

1. “When she bleeds the smells I know change colour. There is iron in her soul on those days. She smells like a gun.” – Author Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body
2. “Poor menstrual hygiene is a problem, as big as polio.” – Anurag Chauhan, founder of Humans For Humanity NGO, India.