‘Having menstruation itself dignity’ was a statement used by an international development fellow from Europe while discussing about an event will be held at Kathmandu in May 2020 on Dignified Menstruation. Of course, she is right for me today but not 40 years ago and not now for millions of girls, women and transgenders across the globe. Menstruation is not form of dignity for many funders, experts, and so many others if not why does menstruation is side-lined and heavily overlooked in a course of development and human right globally. Even after getting space in Human Right Council in 2014, it is confined with hygiene which positively negative notion that reinforce the menstrual blood as dirty. Almost all funders and actors are busy for hygiene or products as if like the menstrual blood is crisis for 21 century though the hygiene/products an important element of dignified menstruation.
It appeals to everyone who speaks about menstruation to focus on dignity. Thus, ‘Dignified Menstruation’ is a simply ‘menstrual talk, dignity first’. All menstruators deserve the dignity during menstruation no matter whether they are in private or public life, in disaster or with disability or any sexual orientation or anywhere of this world.
Dignified menstruation is a tool to fuel the Nepalese’s slogan of prosperous country and happy Nepali as well by redefining the quality of life of menstruators. It is the concept of beyond hygiene and infrastructure indeed.