Whisper®, hand-in-hand with UNESCO, stands strong as a force for female good to improve the lives of young girls and achieve 100% menstrual hygiene adoption in India. To raise awareness on the importance of period education, Whisper is also rallying a nationwide movement to include menstrual hygiene education as part of school curriculum.
Whisper®, feminine care brand has come together with UNESCO to raise awareness and educate girls on Menstrual Hygiene Management under its flagship programme #KeepGirlsInSchool. In an effort to help young girls achieve their full potential, the movement begins with sheddinglight on the impact of 2.3 Crore girls dropping out of school – leading to 2.3 Crore unfulfilled dreams – due to lack of period education and protection. Bhumi Pednekar, Bollywood actor has been roped in for championing the cause of making menstrual hygiene a priority in India.
Last year, Whisper® launched the #KeepGirlsInSchool movement, mobilizing support across touchpoints which impacted over 40 Lakh school girls and drove awareness among 2.5 Crore people in India.
Studies have shown that even today, 71% of adolescent girls in India remain unaware of menstruation till they get their first period. This affects their confidence and self-esteem adversely, leading to 2.3 crore adolescent girls dropping out of school every year, at the onset of the puberty. In addition to this, the ongoing pandemic has led to the closure of schools and lack of structured learning process, making these girls even more vulnerable to dropping out. According to the UNESCO, the global pandemic has impacted 74 crore* schoolgirls, and could severely affect their return to school. Whisper® and UNESCO believe that when supported with education, these young girls are empowered to reach their full potential, achieve their dreams and make a positive difference in the world as strong women.
To bring to light the struggles of young girls as they reach puberty, Whisper® and UNESCO released a heartwarming film that illustrates the journey of the playful innocence of a schoolgirl with boundless dreams coming to a grinding halt due to the lack of period education and protection. The film underscores the importance of empowering young girls to achieve their full potential and not let periods get in the way of 2.3 Crore dreams. The campaign seeks to drive a positive change through the collective efforts of multi-stakeholder initiatives and influential voices to ensure that every girl can complete her school education and fulfill her dreams. It urges people to be the agents of change and join the movement by making a mindful choice as every purchase* of Whisper® pads helps #KeepGirlsInSchool.
Bhumi Pednekar speaking on the initiative said, “Every girl in India should be able to complete her education like I did and not have to drop out just because of periods. I strongly believe that empowering young girls with menstrual education and protection will give them wings to transform into leaders of tomorrow. It is great to see that Whisper and UNESCO are enabling this change at a ground level, which will not only accelerate the cause but also encourage wider participation. I urge everyone to come forward and be part of the #KeepGirlsInSchool movement.”
Emphasizing UNESCO’s commitment to right to Education, Eric Falt, Director and UNESCO Representative to Bhutan, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka, said,“ The #KeepGirlsInSchool initiative builds on our strong commitment to ensuring everyone’s fundamental right to education. Investing in girls’ education is an investment for society as a whole.”
