|
There is light at the end of the tunnel
I've tried and I cannot really sugarcoat my feelings - the last weeks have been really tough for us and all the women+'s rights and menstrual health activists worldwide. But, I do believe there is light at the end of the tunnel - especially if we continue to advocate for menstrual health as the gateway to female health and rights across the life span. Menstrual health is connected to every other reproductive health area - without truly understanding, prioritizing or investing in it, we cannot and will not be able to move the needle forward on women+'s health and rights.
In this July Memo, you will find victories, great events + a new job opportunity.
Your fellow women+'s rights warrior,
Danielle I. Keiser

Co-Founder, Madami, MH Hub and Clitpix
Independent Consultant + Speaker
Creator of the Menstrual Memo
|
|
|
Image: Jonathan Torgovnik / Getty Images / Images of Empowerment
The WHO prioritizes menstrual health and rights in new statement
On June 22, the WHO released a statement in support of menstrual health and rights. After years of working to place menstrual health on the global health agenda, it is exciting to see the efforts of the global menstrual health community recognized by the world’s leading authority on international health! Stay tuned to see this recognition turned into action.
|
|
Madami Thoughts -
Training Smarter, not Harder:
Cycles, Exercise + YOU
In partnership with INTIMINA, Madami's Milena Bacalja Perianes and Danielle Keiser explore the link between menstrual health and fitness to show the cycle can be used a critical lever for improving athletic performance. In this new piece on our Medium blog, we offer some excellent tips and guidance, including products and services one can try out during the different phases of the menstrual cycle.
Image: April Laugh for Unsplash
|
|
|
Menopause Preparedness Toolkit
Created by the Society for Women's Health Research, this toolkit was created to support women+ through major menopause milestones and prepare them for conversations with physicians, families and friends. Established to address barriers to care and reduce health disparities related to the menopause transition, this toolkit promotes science-based healthcare policies and education to improve patient outcomes.
Image: SWHR
|
|
|
The menstrual product standards process has finally kicked off!
The ISO Technical Committee, TC338 Menstrual Products, kicked off its first meeting at the end of June. Since our last update, two stakeholders applied to participate as liaisons: EDANA (the largest industry org for non-woven fabrics) and UNFPA. In December 2021, 26 countries approved a SIS proposal to create a technical committee for menstrual product safety with 17 out of them actively participating in the process.
Image: ISO
|
|
|
|
Image: Kristin Huwat / Getty Images
|
|
[PDF] Information, Choice and Menstrual Outcomes: Evidence from a Community-Based Intervention in India S Garikipati, PA Phillips-Howard, University of Liverpool, 2022.
Assessing the knowledge and attitude of menstrual hygiene among high school students, and menstrual practices among high school girls in rural Rwanda.
Sandra Isano, Irakoze Genereuse Iradukunda, Peace Ingabire, Beula Igiraneza, Fred Nkurunziza and Rex Wong, International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2022.
Assessment of sexual and reproductive access and use of menstrual products among Venezuelan migrant adult women at the Brazilian–Venezuelan border
Leila Rocha, Rachel Soeiro, Noé Gomez,Maria Laur Costa, Fernanda G.Surita,Luis Bahamondes, Journal of Migration and Health, 2022.
Access to period products during the first nation-wide lockdown in Australia: Results from an online survey
Jacqueline Coombe, Helen Bittleston, Jane S. Hocking - Women & Health, 2022
Menstrual Attitudes: The Gender Differences Among Nigerian University Students I Udegbe, WA Imran, IA Ogueji - Trends in Psychology, 2022
|
|
|
Menopause Mindfulness:
A Personal Toolkit for Menopause Preparedness
July 14 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
Menopause is defined as the point in time 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual cycle. During the menopause transition (perimenopause), the body undergoes hormonal changes, characterized by a significant decrease in estrogen. Symptoms and experiences vary widely from person to person. This change typically begins to occur in a woman’s late 40s or 50s, and can last up to 10 or 20 years.
This event will discuss how to improve health outcomes through recognizing and addressing symptoms, comorbidities, treatment options, and barriers to accessing quality care, while highlighting the diverse experiences of women during and after the menopause transition.
|
|
|
Global Period Poverty Forum
October 10-12, 2022
Applications for scholarships to virtually attend are now open! Explain in 200 words max how receiving a virtual scholarship will maximize the impact of your own work on menstrual health.
|
|
|
|