By Our Saff Reporter
Dehradun, 22 May: Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed annually on 28 May, is a global campaign led by WASH United, dedicated to raising awareness and catalysing action around menstrual health and hygiene. Supported by over 1,150 partner organisations worldwide, the campaign seeks to break down the stigma and silence surrounding menstruation and advocates for menstrual health as a human rights issue.
In recognition of his groundbreaking work in the field, Anurag Chauhan, founder of the nonprofit Humans for Humanity, has been appointed Global Ambassador for Menstrual Hygiene Day by WASH United, the Berlin-based international organisation behind the campaign.
Over the past 11 years, Humans for Humanity’s flagship WASH Project (Women Sanitation Hygiene) has positively impacted more than 4.5 million women and girls across seven Indian states: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Delhi. The project doesn’t just provide access to menstrual products and education—it also addresses nutrition, mental health, menopause, and perimenopause, while actively including men, boys, transgender individuals, and women across all age groups.
From urban slums and rural villages to schools, universities, prisons, shelter homes, and military institutions, the WASH Project ensures that menstrual hygiene becomes a conversation that transcends social, cultural, and institutional barriers.
Under Chauhan’s leadership, Humans for Humanity has also launched employment-generating pad production units run by local women, championed biodegradable menstrual products, and continued to challenge deep-rooted taboos—making menstrual equity a shared social responsibility.
According to Anurag Chauhan, “Everyone born from a woman’s womb carries the responsibility to talk about menstrual hygiene openly and without shame. Periods are natural, yet the silence and shame surrounding them continue to cause unnecessary suffering and exclusion. It is only by breaking these taboos that we can achieve true menstrual equity and dignity for all.”
The date 28 May itself symbolises the average 28-day menstrual cycle and the typical five days of menstruation, serving as a powerful reminder for governments, civil society, and the private sector to prioritise menstrual health globally.
Chauhan’s appointment is especially significant as he becomes the first male Global Ambassador from India within the Menstrual Hygiene Day Ambassador network. His presence underscores the importance of male allies in dismantling menstrual stigma and reinforces the truth that menstrual health is not just a women’s issue—it’s a human issue.
Chauhan notes, “Periods aren’t secrets—they’re life’s monthly reminders. Let’s talk, not hush. A period is natural, shame is optional.”
