MITHILFE FOUNDATION’s Post

Menstrual Solidarity Initiative Update! Over the last 2 months, Cohort 4 of the Menstrual Solidarity Initiative (MSI) have been created engaged in fighting period poverty and period illiteracy across India. After receiving training from Baala, 14 grassroots organisations are working across 11 states in India, engaging marginalised and rural communities in 3 ways: 1. Holding awareness workshops on menstrual health. 2. Distributing the reusable Baala sanitary pads, that are reusable for upto 2 years. 3. Conducting surveys and conversations to understand local perceptions and practices. The aim is to empower communities through menstrual education, access to sustainable products and encourage health seeking behaviour. Together we are reaching over 75,000 individuals who menstruate! #periods #menstruation #india #projectbaala

Health is an essential aspect of our lives. In India, most people lack these basic needs due to various reasons such as lack of money, knowledge, and poverty.  #agwo #missionhealth #health #healthproblem #longlives #peoples #safeandhealthyindia #loveindia #care #caringforall  https://bit.ly/4aNCUUO

Rajasthani women and children are facing unprecedented challenges due to the intense heatwave. With temperatures soaring up to 50°C in Western Rajasthan, the impact is devastating. - Health: Over 45% of women report experiencing heat-related illnesses. Children are particularly vulnerable, with many suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration. - Education: School closures due to extreme heat disrupt the education of countless children. - Economic Stability: Women in low-income jobs struggle to work in such conditions, affecting their livelihoods and financial independence. - Violence and Safety: Heat exacerbates domestic tensions, leading to increased reports of domestic violence. A local woman shared, "This heat makes it impossible to work or even step outside. We are worried about our children's health and our future." At Sambhali Trust, we are committed to providing relief and support. Join us in raising awareness and supporting these resilient communities. #Heatwave #ClimateImpact #WomenEmpowerment #ChildHealth #EconomicStability #SambhaliTrust #CommunitySupport #SocialImpact #EmpowerIndia @UNICEFIndia @UN_Women @ClimateReality @Greenpeace @SaveTheChildren @UNDP_India @MinistryWCD @SocialJusticeGOI @TimesofIndia @ndtv @rahulbose7 @deolabhay @guardian @BBCWorld

#NationalNutritionMonth2024 General Theme : Overall Nutrition (covering all the essential elements linked to Poshan) issued by Govt. Of India, Ministry of Women & Child Development, POSHAN ABHIYAAN dated 20th August 2024.

😱 Did you know that just 36% of India's 355 million menstruating female population use sanitary napkins for protection and to manage health. 🙏Shockingly, an estimated 70% of all reproductive health issues are caused by poor menstrual hygiene. To make matters worse, 1 in 10 girls below the age of 21 in India cannot afford sanitary products and use unhygienic substitutes. This is what is known as period poverty, and it affects women and girls all over the world. 😲 Reports tell us that 20-30% of street children in urban areas are female, often the only access to toilet facilities requires payment, adding to the financial burden associated with menstruation. This is just one example of how period poverty affects the most vulnerable in society. 👏 It's time we start talking about and addressing period poverty. Everyone deserves access to safe and hygienic menstrual products, regardless of their economic status. Let's work together to end period poverty and ensure that all women and girls can manage their periods with dignity. . 📸 Images : From the recent No Shame Drives at the Dalibaagh Slums in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in India. My mother is leading the drives while I'm away studying at York University ❤️ DM to support. Follow my project here - https://lnkd.in/g_bxEs68 #PeriodPoverty #MenstrualHygiene #EndPeriodPoverty #thenoshameproject

Poor sanitation is a complex issue requiring a comprehensive approach. Menstruation, pregnancy, higher infection risk, safety from sexual violence, and the need for privacy all contribute to women's sanitation insecurities in rural India. Aviom India Housing Finance Private Limited addresses a critical sanitation need in rural India by providing capital for constructing toilets with sewage tanks. These loans, with a ticket size of ₹270,000, empower women and girls to enhance hygiene, privacy, and living conditions. This initiative contributes to a healthier environment, fosters dignity, and promotes economic inclusion for countless families. Join us in our mission to create a brighter, more equitable future for all. To know more about Aviom India Housing Finance Private Limited, visit: https://lnkd.in/giUG6WXf #AviomHousingFinance #AVIOM #EmpoweringCommunities #womensanitation #sanitation #sanitationsolutions #homesanitation #sanitationforgirls #Sanitationforall #Empowerher #RuralEmpowerment #WomenEmpowerment #CommunityImpact #sdg #sdggoals #sustainabilitygoals #EmpowerWomen

UNICEF reports that in India - Many girls are unaware of what menstruation is until they experience it themselves, with 71% of girls unaware until menarche. - Menstruation is a taboo topic in Indian society, leading to restrictions and exclusions of menstruating girls and women. - UNICEF is working to educate girls and women about menstrual health management, and to provide affordable and accessible sanitary products. - UNICEF has launched the MAHIMA project in Jharkhand to help girls break the silence surrounding menstruation and to provide them with knowledge about menstrual hygiene. - UNICEF has also launched the GARIMA project in Uttar Pradesh to strengthen menstrual hygiene management among rural adolescent girls. Why it is not taught in schools? Why is there a lack of knowledge? How chauvinist society we are that we don't create some real good quality toilets for women. Wash program is an eyewash. This illiteracy leads to many health and social issues. After 75 years we are still neglecting MHM as a priority for adolescent girls

Social Protection Systems in India What is social protection? Social protection systems help poor and vulnerable people cope with crises and shocks, find jobs, invest in the health and education of their children, and protect the aging population. (World Bank) Why is it required? Social protection is a universal human right and a precondition for a world free from poverty. Social protection helps when someone is sick, disabled, pregnant or old and lack sufficient income or any income at all because he or she cannot work. It helps to protect individuals and their families against these risks and shield them from poverty throughout their lives. That's why social protection is required. “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25(1) This week I will touch upon this topic of social protection in India and examples of various ways it is implemented. #social #governance #sustainability #quality #environment #privacy #healthandsafety #socialprotection *********************************************** Click on the bell icon 🔔 on my LinkedIn profile to receive instant notification when I post. Follow #viveknamboodiripad I am provide consultancy services in quality, environment health and safety and information security. I love to run and I am ultramarathoner. I am also a health coach and help people to overcome any lifestyle related issues like overweight, obesity, cholesterol, PCOD, fatty liver T2 Diabetes etc.

Menstrual health is a critical public health issue. Millions of women and girls worldwide face period poverty, which includes limited access to period products, menstrual education, or adequate water sanitation and hygiene facilities. To overcome such issues, #ASSOCHAM Goa State Development Council has curated an awareness program on #MenstrualHealthAndHygiene with special emphasis on #CervicalCancer. The session aims to: 🚺 Raise awareness about the importance of #MenstrualHygiene. 🚺 Address the #healthcare needs of diverse women stakeholders. 🚺 Provide expert medical guidance to break social taboos and myths. 🚺 Empower women and enhance their participation in economic development. 📢 Join us to educate, empower, and strengthen the role of #women in our society. 🗓️ May 30, 2024 ⏰02:30 PM to 05:30 PM 📍Panjim Let us break barriers and foster a healthier and inclusive future. 🤝🏻 Government of Goa, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Ministry of Women & Child Development, Vishwajit Rane, Manguirish Pai Raiker, Sagar Salgaocar, Pallavi Salgaocar

In one of my conversations with an Aanganwadi worker in Maharashtra, during my stint while documenting the 'Rajmata Jijau Mother-Child Health & Nutrition Mission', (Government of Maharashtra's mission to tackle malnutrition), I was introduced to, perhaps, the core of the challenges contributing to malnutrition in India post-pandemic. We were already a year into the pandemic & with a large part of their income eroded due to loss of livelihood, socially and financially vulnerable families in India had nothing but despair for their company! "With little or no money in hand, parents rely on a small pav (bread) to feed their children, and one pav in the morning with tea ensures the child does not ask for food the whole day", she said. The pav, she said, costed two rupees, the only food item within the family's financial reach, which was sometimes replaced with a five-rupee 'Kurkure' for a change. The National Health Mission estimates that almost 26 million children are born in India every year. With the first thousand days being the most crucial in building a child's healthy foundation, access to nutritious food is the most critical during this period. Was India fair to her newborns during the pandemic, especially those born during its ambit? While workers walking miles to their homes was the pandemic's visible scar, its impact on children largely went unnoticed. Loss of livelihood led to a steep decline in income, and minuscule savings contributed to lack of access to nutritious food. The count of families surrendering to the circumstances & replacing nutrients with junk food remains unknown. So does the count of children giving in to malnutrition. Ignored otherwise in the cacophony of economic debates in the media, this problem finds a place in Raghuram Rajan & Rohit Lamba's new book Breaking the Mould - Reimagining India's Economic Future. And as a development sector professional, I cannot thank them more! That economic growth is not merely growth numbers & growth rates, but also an investment in human capital is a message that needs to be told a million times. And with nutrition contributing to a child's intellectual growth, it is crucial that children achieve positive nutritional outcomes, which would later lead to effective learning outcomes. Children born during the pandemic, or even a few years before its onset, will take almost two decades to become adults & contribute to India's economy. However, as on today, we have the world's highest number of children with severe acute malnutrition (source: UNICEF). If we do not break the cycle of malnutrition now, we won't have a productive workforce. With these contradictions, is it fair to only cheer India's growth rate numbers vis à vis China or Europe? Perhaps, it is critical to take a deep breath & address India's contradictions. Else, to quote Prof. Amartya Sen & Prof Jean Drèze, hers would be an uncertain glory. #BreakingtheMould #RaghuramRajan #RohitLamba #IndianEconomy #Malnutrition