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A section of the participants is seen during an awareness camp on adolescent girls in Chare town on September 14.[/caption]
Dimapur, Sep. 14 (EMN): Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Chare block, conducted a block-level adolescent girls awareness camp under Poshan Abhiyan on the theme “Menstrual hygiene and health” in Chare town hall on September 14.
The awareness camp was organised to provide information and education on menstrual hygienic management and prevention of menstrual related health issues. This was stated in a press release issued by the department of Social Welfare on Saturday.
EAC Chare, Nockpai Konyak, while launching the adolescent clubs of three schools in Chare namely Government High School, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, and Shuzong School, announced that the clubs were initiated to provide a confidential platform for sharing girls’ adolescent related health issues among peers and schoolmates. Konyak urged the participating girls to utilise the adolescent clubs to prevent health complications.
Delivering the keynote address, Moa Longkumer, CDPO Chare, emphasised on the need for sensitisation among adolescent girls regarding menstruation as he pointed out that most fathers don’t know about it and the mothers don’t speak to their daughters about it. He further stated that the silence about menstrual hygiene is deeply ingrained in the society.
“We have this culture that makes women remain silent about issues affecting them. Therefore, everyone should strive to change the culture of shame and stigma associated with menstruation,” Longkumer said.
An interactive session was conducted in which all topics related to menstruation were discussed including traditional myths and misconceptions, calculation of the period, physical problems faced by girls during their periods and ways to deal with it, maintaining personal hygiene and importance of maintaining hygiene, avoiding the traditional methods of using dirty cloths and promoting use of sanitary napkins.
Other highlights of the programme included short speeches on the topics “Menstrual health and hygiene” and “Nutrition and adolescent health” by Ritsala of JNV Chare and Khumrilila of Government High School Chare respectively.
About 200 girl students from Classes VIII to X of Chare town and Chare village participated in the awareness camp.