Candice Chirwa breaking the bias around menstruation
Chirwa has an avid interest in educating the youth on menstrual education.
March 8 is marked International Women’s Day (IWD), where global communities celebrate women’s achievement, raising awareness against bias and taking action for equality. The theme for this year’s IWD was #BreakTheBias.
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Social activist, Candice Chirwa, popularly known as the Minister of Menstruation reflects on the progresses that have been made to ensure that gender inequality is being tackled and says period poverty needs urgent intervention.
“I admire the strength and courageousness of the women before us who fought so tirelessly to ensure that we can be seen as equals. However, there is something that is still holding us back. This year’s theme asks us to imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable and inclusive,” Chirwa said.
“In order to #BreakTheBias, I want to imagine a world where period dignity exists. I am going to tell you how a biological function has a major impact on gender inequality. We need to understand that period poverty is an important global issue that requires important attention. Period poverty is the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual health education, toilets, hand washing facilities and waste management,” she added.
Although she was fortunate enough to have what she needed for her menstruation days as a young girl, she still reflects on the life of those who experience period poverty and wants to advocate for them and change the narrative on menstrual health.
“I fortunately am afforded the ability to manage my period in a safe and hygienic way. I had the benefit of having a conversation (very awkward, but a conversation nonetheless) with my mother who talked to me about it when I was 10 years old. I went to a school that covered menstruation from a biological point of view, and I was lucky to have access to a private toilet with a sink, dustbin and menstrual health products,” said Chirwa.
“Now, if you’re a person who menstruates and realised that you too had the same experience, then trust me when I say our period experience is luxurious. I want you to reflect on what you would do, if you did not have any access to toilet paper. You’d probably think and use a piece of paper or cloth. But I further ask, what if you didn’t have access to a paper or cloth? And this was your reality every single day?” she added.
It is estimated that in South Africa, up to 3.7 million girls do not have access or cannot afford to buy sanitary products, many of them resort to staying at home. It is also estimated that 30% of South African school girls miss school when menstruating due to the cost of period products.
“Now, if you didn’t have access to a sanitary pad, a tampon, a menstrual cup, a reusable pad or period underwear, what would you use? A cloth? Newspaper? Tissue? A sock? That bleeds through too quickly. Sand? Leaves? Used rags? That can cause an infection. So what is the alternative for a young girl who has limited access to period products? She stays at home. And this consequetly means that a young girl will miss one or more days of school and ultimately this impacts their education, ” she said.
“Without a full education, the gender inequality gap widens which limits life opportunities. Gender inequality, extreme poverty and harmful traditions can all make menstruation fraught with deprivation and stigma. All around the world girls, women, transgender and intersex people suffer from the stigma of menstruation through cultural taboos, discrimination and the inability to afford sanitary products,” she added.
Menstruation is a shared experience amongst people who menstruate and yet it is a widely stigmatised issue. Chirwa has an avid interest in educating the youth on menstrual education and brings eduliftment through her award winning NGO, QRATE. She says that more should be done especially on the state level. She said that the governments should play an important role in the de-stigmatisation of menstruation.
“Perception of menstruation is affected by government policies in education, development, business, taxes and healthcare. Governments need to recognise that period products are essential items and should not have to break the bank. Imagine having to ask your teacher, lecturer, healthcare provider, employer for access to period products every month, ” she said.
“This could be avoided by having a dispenser available in bathrooms in many health facilities in public institutions in South Africa. Businesses also have a role and responsibility in ending period poverty. Any business that does not have a Corporate Social Investment project that tackles period poverty should be required to. Beyond providing access to products, we also need better puberty, sex and period education for young people in schools so that young menstruators are not reduced to suffering alone in silence,” she added
” Breaking the bias around talking openly about periods starts with each and everyone of us. We can break the bias in our schools, workplaces, churches and social places. We can break the bias in ensuring that the next generation of menstruators can live and exist in a period positive world,” Chirwa concludes.
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