From access to sanitary napkins and contraceptives to access to proper pregnancy care and information, there are many health-related concerns that women and girls think about. On average, women will spend 3,000 days in their lifetime menstruating, but many women and girls still don’t feel comfortable talking about their periods. It’s time to stop the stigma and start a conversation.
Why is stigma so harmful for the health of women everywhere? This stigma is a form of oppression. It keeps women and girls from talking about their health and bodies confidently. Not convinced? In India, almost half of all girls didn’t know about menstruation when they got their first period because conversations about their reproductive health were taboo. For them, having a period meant shame, confusion, and in some cases, even fear.
Taboos on period talk aren’t just inconvenient; they can be deadly. One study found that the “culture of silence” around this topic puts the lives of women and girls in danger around the world. Words have power, and it’s time for women and girls to have the tools they need to understand the relationship between their health, clean water, and sanitation.
Every year, more than 5.6 million women and newborns die globally. The real tragedy? The majority of mothers’ deaths and 80 percent of newborns’ deaths are preventable. Want to learn more about how to keep women and newborns safe during childbirth?
Health shouldn’t be this complicated for women and girls. Technology is helping to make things a little easier. Femtech is a booming industry that uses technology to come up with new solutions for women’s health. There’s a huge need for innovation in resources, for young girls experiencing their first period to women experiencing menopause and everything in between. Femtech is estimated to become a $50 billion market by 2025. Here’s how tech can be a revolution in health for women and girls:
Now that we have the basics, let’s break down how health affects some women and girls differently.