Santex Products and UNICEF Partner to Alleviate Period-Poverty

Santex Products (Pvt.) Ltd and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to increase awareness on issues related to Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) and improve access to safe, quality and sustainable menstrual products for adolescent girls and women in Pakistan.

Santex Products (Pvt.) Ltd., a pioneering female hygiene products company in Pakistan, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, and UNICEF, as the United Nations leading agency to promote rights of children and young people, have joined hands to push forward towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to Water, sanitation and hygiene.

Speaking at the occasion, Managing Director, Santex Products, Talha Rahman, reiterated the company’s commitment to improving universal access to affordable, high quality and hygienic, feminine hygiene products for women in Pakistan.

“We are honored to partner with UNICEF to help identify key challenges around Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Pakistan. Through this partnership we hope to contribute to the development of a proactive policy, with the help of relevant stake holders from the society, that will transcend all social barriers . I look forward to building this partnership with UNICEF in developing better communications tools, capacity development and awareness on behavior change.”

“We are also working on product development and innovation that is better sensitized to the needs of Pakistani women, millions of whom are still deprived of this basic need. We also urge the government bring it in line with essential medicines and drugs regime through reduction on import tax and VAT on the MHH products thus making them more affordable and accessible in Pakistan,” Mr. Rahman added.

Santex Products and UNICEF aim to work together along with other stakeholders adapting research and innovation, high level advocacy aimed at positive policy changes, and behavior change through awareness raising for improving access to safe, quality, and sustainable menstrual products for adolescent girls and women in Pakistan.

‘Butterfly’, a world class brand by Santex Products is one such product that enables adolescent girls and women to manage their periods in a dignified manner.

“The MoU signed today is a stride forward to improving MHH standards for adolescent girls and women in Pakistan,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “Together, we need to make concerted efforts so that women are well aware and prepared for the onset of menstruation as it concerns their health, self-esteem and overall development.”

 “This partnership will help us mitigate the economic shock and set back to MHH promotion caused by the COVID pandemic. We rejuvenate our efforts to reach more girls, especially in marginalized communities, with MHH education and improved services that could be accessed easily and with dignity.”

“For this, we also call upon the Government and other stakeholders to address gaps and issues around MHH and act now to help girls and women in Pakistan, pursue their dreams and reach their full potential in life,” Ms. Girma added.

Many women and adolescent girls across the globe  lack essentials to safely manage their menstruation. In many parts of Pakistan, menstruation remains a taboo subject surrounded with myths and misconceptions such as restrictions for girls and women from socialising during menstruation.