Dignity. Diversity. Human Rights.

We unpick the title of the event, ‘Allowing Women (and people who menstruate) to be Environmentally Mindful Throughout the Whole Month’ and how it is not a call for all people who menstruate to be held accountable and make a more environmentally conscious choice, but rather will uncover the challenges that are put in place that prevent people who menstruate to have that choice in the first place. Whether that is due to the lack of bathrooms and privacy, lack of clean safe water, lack of equipment to dispose of them safely and with dignity, due to the cost of the products, lack of education on menstruation and menstrual products, or the stigma associated with menstruation.

So many of the challenges and obstacles have been put in place, often unconsciously, by men in leadership positions and due to lack of representation at a higher level we are not seeing these changes being made and therefore people who menstruate are unable, to make a choice that best suits them around how they manage their menstrual cycle. I will now introduce our phenomenal panellists and open the door to fully understand how one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to menstrual management. While 50% of the population may menstruate, each person’s experience is extremely different, and therefore it is so important to adopt this pluralistic mindset in pursuing change.