Let’s Talk About Periods and Empowerment

Shame, stigma and misinformation around periods in our society stop young girls and women from talking about it openly leaving them vulnerable to gender discrimination, exclusion and health issues. Let’s break the silence around periods by starting a conversation today!

The silence around periods can kill a girl’s potential

24% of girls miss one or more school days during menstruation. *(Source: BMJ Article)

From an early age, girls learn to live with the pain and fear and seldom seek help when in physical or mental discomfort due to periods – thanks to the air of embarrassment surrounding the topic. The silence, exclusion, teasing and shaming affect the girls’ psychological and physical development and hinder their potential big time. The lack of access to basic hygiene facilities and awareness leads to increased dropouts. Girls are often pushed into marriage at an early age once they drop out of school, leading to permanent loss of potential. To help our girls live freely and chase their dreams, we need to end period shame and have open conversations about menstruation.

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Let’s start the conversation around periods

How can you get involved?

We must talk about periods openly to break the taboos around them and make women, girls, and everyone else who menstruates feel good about their bodies. Because the change begins with every one of us.

Join us in our fight to end period shame –

Spread the word and break the silence

Help us amplify the voice around period shame through social media. You can talk about period shame and tag CRY on different social media channels along with the hashtags. #LetsTalkAboutPeriods

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Support CRY’s effort to create awareness

Your generous donation can help CRY create awareness about menstrual health and hygiene among children and adolescent girl groups in schools across different cities.

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Take a pledge to end the shame

The change starts with us. As we take a pledge, let us ensure that we give up on things that are associated with period shame, like not hiding period products and carrying them without any shame, using the word “period” instead of other code words etc.

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Pledge Board

The stigma and myths around periods need to stop. It’s high time we normalise our conversations around menstruation and break the silence on this topic. Periods are normal and there is nothing shameful about it! – Jyoti

One of the many ways we can achieve gender equity is by reducing period stigma and helping our girls move forward by having a conversation about it. – Nitya

I pledge to not hide my period products and carry them without any shame. – Isha

Menstruation can be discussed by anybody, regardless of their age, class, gender, ability, colour, or culture. – Ananya

I remember when my friend first got her periods in the school itself and she was scared so much only because there was no open conversation about it. Periods are normal and we should accept this fact. – Vasudha

I pledge to have an open conversation with my son about periods. – Pooja

Women are much more than their periods! I pledge to use the periods and not any confusing terms when I talk about it. – Pragya

I pledge to not hide my periods and talk about it with my brother. – Neha