Debate on “Activism for Menstrual Hygiene and Health”

Prepared by: Mr. Amrit Bista, Member, PP Batch III

Paschim Paaila and ENPHO in collaboration with Debate Network Nepal-DNN organized a debate program on ‘Activism for Menstrual Hygiene and Health’ on 29^th May, 2020 on the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene day 2020 through Zoom platform. The program was organized with an objective to mark Menstrual Hygiene (MH) Day 2020 highlighting activism for menstrual hygiene through debate.

In the program, 6 debaters from DNN were on the house (platform) with 3 were as representation of government side and 3 from the opponent side. On the debate, proposition team spoke on the side of motion: “This house, as the feminist movement, will fund the research for Technology XP” while opposition side spoke against the motion within 7 minutes time-frame and at last a reply speaker from each side briefly gave their feedbacks again. To elaborate the context on the debate, an upcoming technology named Technology XP was hypothesized to be able to allow women to never have their period and subsequently conception too to overcome the period pain and not to make period as blockage for career of women.

In the debate, speakers put forward views based on researches. This program highlighted on the positive sides of technology and its contribution for women on relieving menstrual sufferings and conception difficulties and leading a great life with debaters from opposition as the limitations of technology such as inaccessibility to marginalized groups, cultural unacceptability and more importantly, the idea of banning motherhood brought, gift of nature, by the technology and highlighted on importance on eradicating taboos and misconceptions related to menstrual hygiene instead. The verdict at the end announced opposition team as winner to better support for awareness regarding menstrual hygiene than to bring in the technology.

Mr. Dixit Awasthi from DNN moderated debate and Ms. Anita Bhuju, Network Coordinator of Paschim Paaila, facilitated the overall program. Altogether, 30 youths participated in the program.

Every year Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated on 28 May to raise awareness and break the silence for the issues related to menstruation. This year theme for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020 was "Menstrual Talk, Dignity First".