WHY PUREathon?
Period Poverty, defined as the lack of access to proper reproductive education to maintain menstrual hygiene, lack of appropriate menstrual infrastructure like clean water, sanitation, and menstrual supplies is a serious human rights concern. Research shows that 43% of menstruators do not use safe supplies like sanitary napkins in India and in a few rural areas, they have no choice but to use unhygienic substitutes like ash, husk, old rags, leaves and sometimes even cow dung!
Poor sanitary hygiene puts menstruators at risk for infections like urinary tract and others, which cause 70% of reproductive issues. Early warning signs of such problems and more severe diseases like cancer are often missed. The social taboos around menstruation make it difficult to access the appropriate facilities and resources to safeguard the health of menstruators. Poor menstrual hygiene is to blame for two-thirds of all cervical cancer cases in India
The narrative around menstruation needs to be changed to include all people who have periods and take a gender-neutral view. Menstruators exist beyond just women and adolescent girls. The fact that transgender and gender nonconforming people also have periods is often overlooked and left out of the central messaging of many period poverty campaigns. These communities face considerable social stigma and discrimination already. Their needs should also be taken into account during planning for menstrual policy discussions and any relief initiatives.
Period poverty and taboos have devastating consequences for a girl child. In many areas across the globe, girls miss 10-20% of school days or quit schools once puberty hits. This exponentially increases their risk of entering into child marriages and abusive environments. An investment in girls and their education is a greatest investment one can make to create an equitable society for everyone and give them the freedom to live their lives the way they want.
End povertyin all itsforms everywhere
Empower menstruators by eliminating period as a hurdle to their education. Education can eventually help secure a livelihood and break the cycle of poverty.
Ensure healthylives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Provide access to reproductive health information and educate menstruators about changes in puberty and basics of safe period management.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunitiesfor all
Equip the menstruators in schools by providing them free access to menstrual supplies and period management resources like incinerators
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Promote gender equality by supporting the girl child to stay in schools, not be forced into early marriages or abusive environments.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Build period management infrastructure like providing clean water and safe washrooms for hygienic period management at schools and workplaces.
Reduce inequality within and among countries
End discrimination against menstruators by educating communities, and also comprehensively include all genders and marginalized communities in this fight against period poverty and stigma
OCTOBER 9TH, 2022
PURE's call to action for the PUREathon 2022, which invited anyone and everyone to fight period poverty and raise awareness by participating in a fun 2K and 5K event, was answered by over 5400 people! Thousands of participants wore PUREathon T-shirts to show their support for the cause and painted the cityscapes of Hyderabad and Vijayawada red Ending Period Poverty and Period Stigma has been one of PURE's core mission since its inception in 2016, with numerous hours spent ensuring that periods and puberty do not end a menstruator's education and that all menstruators have access to managing periods with dignity It was a proud moment to witness history being made by PUREathon, the first of its kind in the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, to bring groups and communities together and send a unified message.
Menstruators' lives, health, dignity and education, they all MATTER!
WALK, RIDE, ROLL OR RUN!
PUREathon 2022 welcomed participants of all abilities and sought to be as inclusive as possible to anyone interested in taking part. There were attendees with vision, speech, and hearing impairments, as well as participants with locomotor disabilities and senior citizens. More than 300 volunteers ensured that the needs and safety of every participant were met. In addition to refreshments, there was a variety of entertainment, such as Zumba, music bands, and performances making it a fun fare.