UNFPA and KOICA partners to improve menstrual hygiene in Cox’s Bazar
Between 2021-2024, this partnership will support a variety of activities to improve knowledge of menstrual hygiene and to address the menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls in Cox’s Bazar.
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to improve women and girls' menstrual hygiene in Cox's Bazar district on 26 August 2021
The two organisations have signed an agreement with a value of USD 2,950,000, said a press release.
Between 2021-2024, this partnership will support a variety of activities to improve knowledge of menstrual hygiene and to address the menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls in Cox's Bazar.
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A total of 17,160 adolescent girls, boys, females, and male caregivers in 12 targeted communities are expected to directly benefit from the programme interventions.
Among the initiatives implemented by the project, adolescent girls and female caregivers in the targeted communities will be trained to produce reusable sanitary pads of their own. Menstrual Hygiene Management kits with essential items for maintaining personal hygiene during menstruation will also be distributed to vulnerable adolescent girls in the communities.
Furthermore, the project will raise awareness of menstrual health and hygiene-related issues among men and boys by integrating sessions on menstruation in the sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender-transformative life skills education programmes that are currently being carried out in the district.
Training on menstrual health and hygiene and gender equality will also be provided to religious and female leaders to normalize public discourse on menstruation in the targeted communities, as well as to promote understanding of menstrual hygiene management.
Youngah Doh, country director of KOICA Bangladesh, said that this project is an ongoing commitment of KOICA to work with the Government of Bangladesh to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3.7 which aims to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services.'
"Through this cooperation with KOICA and our other partners in Cox's Bazar, we are excited to collaborate toward removing taboos and obstacles related to menstruation and to provide and make menstrual hygiene management more sustainable, more accessible to women and girls in Bangladesh, thereby helping them to realize their aspirations," Dr Asa Torkelsson concluded in her remarks after signing the agreement.
