Sarajevo, 28 May 2024 - Today's marking of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day is an important step towards raising awareness of communities and their empowerment regarding this important topic. Activities centered on education, empowerment and dismantling taboos on menstruation were held under the motto “Together for a world where menstruation is not a taboo”.

As part of this year's observance, the thematic classes dedicated to improving menstrual health, were delivered in four elementary schools in Sarajevo by teachers and students of the Medical Secondary School - Jezero Sarajevo, emphasizing the importance of proper information and breaking prejudices already in elementary school.

“This is an important step towards creating a society where young people feel empowered and informed, especially about topics that are often surrounded by taboos. Education and open conversations are key to changing awareness and creating a supportive environment”, said Melisa Hodžić, a student of the Medical Secondary School - Jezero Sarajevo.

The pedagogue of the “Jezero” Medical Secondary School, Alma Gogalić, emphasized the importance of projects aimed at educating and empowering young people, and expressed the hope that this practice would be replicated in other schools.

The Office of the Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton, led by Prime Minister Nihad Uk, together with UNFPA and other partners, is proud and extremely pleased to support the implementation of the project to improve awareness of the importance of menstrual health, especially among young women and girls, for a third year. Thanks to the financial allocations by the Sarajevo Canton Government, as well as socially responsible donors, the students of all secondary schools in the Sarajevo Canton have been provided with sufficient monthly quantities of sanitary napkins for a third school year in a row. In addition, Dalila Zečić, adviser for European integration and coordination of project implementation in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton, stated, “Our fight will not stop here, and we hope that in addition to this target group, we will expand the implementation of the project to include other relevant groups of women in our society”.

Menstruation is a natural part of everyday life associated with health, dignity and human rights. Every person deserves safe access to adequate personal hygiene facilities, menstrual hygiene products, waste disposal and reliable information on this topic.

“The stigmatization of menstruating persons threatens their human rights and dignity. UNFPA will continue supporting partners across BiH in raising awareness of the importance of menstrual health and advocating for a world where menstruation is not a taboo”, said Dr. Enida Imamović of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in BiH.

The marking of the World Day of Menstrual Hygiene represents only one segment of the “For our days in the month” programme, which continues to be implemented through cooperation between the Sarajevo Canton Government and UNFPA BiH, with the aim of improving menstrual health and breaking menstruation-related taboos.