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This Menstrual Memo is all about celebrating
collaboration & environmenstrual thought leadership!
At the MH Hub, we work our vulvas off to highlight examples of teamwork and collaboration from this small but mighty global community. And with climate change becoming a challenge we can no longer ignore, we’re dedicating this Memo to menstrual health community and unity!
From ground-breaking new research collaborations that combine academic heavyweights with corporate superpowers (Harvard, Apple - we’re looking at you!) to good ole' grassroots organizations uniting for #PlasticFreePeriods, we are SO proud of all the progress made in the world of menstrual health!
Remember: Together, we are changing the world - for the better!
Blood always,
P.s. We now have a MH Hub presence in both Latin America & the Caribbean AND Brazil! Help us grow the global community by informing organizations / businesses you know working on MH in these regions!
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AFRIpads and UNHCR join forces in the largest reusable period pad distribution Uganda has ever seen
RESEARCH
Periods don’t stop in times of crisis, yet globally, refugee women and girls often lack the ability to manage their menstruation safely and with dignity due to a lack of adequate facilities, products and knowledge.
In the biggest pad distribution project in Uganda to date, the UN refugee Agency, UNHCR is teaming up with AFRIpads to help menstruating refugees in Uganda. 150,000 women and girls will benefit from the program, and not just by receiving pads - hundreds of NGO field staff have been given a comprehensive training on MHM prior to distribution to help break the taboo and stigma around menstruation!
We’re excited to see a grand collaboration taking into consideration the complex needs of girls and women during menstruation, and can’t wait to hear more about the outcomes of this thoughtful intervention.
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Image: Femme International
Menstruation matters for climate change. Period.
INNOVATION / EDUCATION
Florence 'Flo' Akara, Executive Director of Tanzanian menstrual health NGO Femme International pitched ‘The Twende Initiative’ to the Tanzanian finals of Climate Launchpad by ClimateKIC, the world's largest green business ideas competition with a mission to unlock the world’s cleantech potential addressing climate change. Twende uses women to run trainings and sell reusable menstrual products in rural communities in East Africa. Femme won the competition, making the case that their green business idea can reduce the financial and environmental impact of menstruation by 83% and carbon emissions by a staggering 96.4%.
This is one of the very first successful public efforts in Africa to position menstrual health as an matter of climate change, which is very timely considering that the Environmenstrual Week of Action is on the horizon!
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Image: The Case for Her
Informed choice at the center of new study on period products
The Case for Her + Femme International, Echo Mobile, Ruby Cup, ZanaAfrica & AFRIpads
(A collaboration worth praise!)
RESEARCH
At the MH Hub we believe that informed choice is a critical aspect of female health. Yet, choice is rarely viewed as a value in itself when it comes to interventions related to menstrual health and hygiene. With this new piece of research there is now actual evidence investigating the importance of informed choice when it comes to menstrual products.
Based on surveys from 443 Kenyan students, the SHEOSK study sets out to understand the young female students' menstrual product preferences and how choice can play a larger role in product-based menstrual health interventions. While the study is small, the results are clear: women’s preferences vary - and they want to be able to choose among multiple products.
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The femtech frontier is here - and Apple is leading the way!
RESEARCH / INNOVATION
When Apple first launched their Health App back in 2014, menstruators were quick to point out a major flaw in the tech-giant’s new software: tracking one’s menstrual cycle was not an option. With Apple’s recent announcement of a groundbreaking study on menstrual and gynecological health in collaboration with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the National Institutes of Health, it seems Apple has learned from their past mistake.
The first-of-its-kind study led by a team of researchers at the Harvard Chan School will be based on voluntary use of Apple’s soon-to-be-released Research App. In other words: everyone with a uterus and an Apple smartphone will soon be able to help researchers advance their understanding of menstrual and gynecological health and potentially improve women’s health across the lifespan!
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Image: Yasemin Kotra
Germany says 'auf wiedersehen' to the Tampon Tax
POLICY
The German government plans to reduce the sales tax on tampons and pads from 19% to 7% starting in 2020. German Finance Minister and Social Democrat Olaf Scholz confirmed the plan last week, telling the press, "many women campaigned for this and now we're making it happen." 187,141 people to be exact, on this "The Period is not a Luxury" Change.org petition started by German activists Nanna-Josephine Roloff and Yasemin Kotra in 2017.
The tax reduction will be introduced as part of annual tax amendments for 2020, with Scholz recommending the reduction go into effect as of January 1, 2020. A spokesperson for Germany's conservative parties, the CDU and the CSU, also spoke in favor of the move in September. Wunderbar!
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Environmenstrual Week of Action
Oct. 12-19, 2019
Plastic is everywhere, even in our period products. That's why Women's Environment Network (WEN) is leading a revolution for healthy eco-friendly menstrual products. On Oct. 12-19th WEN is hosting its second annual Environmenstrual Week of Action, highlighting the harmful and unnecessary plastic in mainstream period products and championing the movement towards re-usable menstrual materials.
The theme of this year’s campaign is Influencing Change.
You can take #PeriodAction by downloading the EWOA2019 Toolkit here - GO!
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Women’s Health &
Gender Differences
11. Oct. 2019, 9:30-11:00am ET
Tucholsky Str. 13, 10117, Stage 2
Berlin, Germany
XPOMET© Medicinale is an international festival platform to showcase best practice and highlight trends in global healthcare and forecast future developments in health and tech. Our very own executive director Danielle Keiser will be speaking about women's health and gender differences.
Get your ticket here
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Giant Health:
Taboo! Tech for Sex,
Death and Rock’n'Roll
15.-16. Oct. 2019
Chelsea Football Club Stadium
London, England
Join thousands of passionate innovators at Europe's greatest festival of health tech innovation. Our very own Co-Founder and Chief Innovation & Research Officer Milena Bacalja will be there to talk about women-centered design as a means of creating (and investing) in untapped social and market opportunities!
Get your ticket here
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Menopause: Reclaim the dignity and power
online webinar
15. Oct. 2019, 2:00pm EST
In October Red School is thrilled to be offering our first ever Menopause course live ONLINE, to restore the spiritual significance and dignity of menopause.
Register here
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The Last Taboo: Mainstreaming Sexual Wellness
17. Oct. 2019, 19:00 - 21:00pm BST
Impact Hub Islington
27 Dingley Place
London, UK
Come join MH Hub's Danielle Keiser and Milena Bacalja Perianes as well as the ladies from vibio for a frank and open conversation about all things sex related. From female pleasure, sex after pregnancy, to miscarriage- the works. Open up your minds (and bodies) to an intimate evening amongst friends where we share the best of it, the worst of it, and the weird of it.
Get your ticket here
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Nairobi Summit on ICPD25
12.-14. Nov. 2019
Nairobi, Kenya
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which recognized that reproductive health, women's empowerment and gender equality are the pathway to sustainable development.
This November, the governments of Kenya and Denmark and UNFPA are co-convening the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, a high-level conference to mobilize the political will and financial commitments we urgently need to finally and fully implement the ICPD Programme of Action.
Register here
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International Conference for Dignified Menstruation
26.-28. May, 2020
Kathmandu, Nepal
In connection with MH Day 2020, the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation will be the host of the International Conference for Dignified Menstruation aiming to bring together actors from all across Asia to initiate dialogue around the concept of 'Dignified Menstruation'.
The GSCDM strives to unite organizations, and individuals who share their vision of reclaiming dignity for each individual during menstruation and aim to transform the menstruation movement to center dignity.
Read more here
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Jobs in Menstrual & Female Health
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Various Positions
Denmark & USA
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540 and going strong
All over the world organizations have registered for the Global Menstrual Health Registry!
The map has over 16,000 views to date! Are you in?
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We're here to help YOU!
We now offer expert consulting services that tap into our brand new appraich, Women-Centered Design, as well as any needs you have around female or menstrual health innovation, education, policy and research. Get in touch at info@mhhub.org!
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