We will be hosting two events in the month of March
- A yoga event Sunday March 13th @8pm https://carleton-ca.zoom.us/j/94571259474 
- A coffee house Sunday March 28th @7pm https://carleton-ca.zoom.us/j/94571259474 
More details on our Instagram Page PadPal Instagram 

 

Our team of young women, known as PadPals, from Carleton University is excited and inspired to work with The Women’s Foundation of Nepal (WFN). We are fundraising money for the Women's Foundation of Nepal to make and supply period products.

 

Imagine getting your period and not knowing what to do or even what it is, not being allowed to speak about it even with female family members or friends. Imagine not being able to enter your kitchen, being isolated from your friends and family, not being able to go to school or work, not having the safe products to use, and risking your health. This is the experience of most women and girls in Nepal as over 89% experience a form of restriction or exclusion during menstruation.

 

Period inequity is an issue important, not just in Nepal, but also in the western part of the world. We can all to our group because we can relate to the stigma around menstruation in our own lives through personal experiences as women who menstruate. In our first meeting, our group discovered the uncomfortable feeling of talking about our own periods. We remember getting the education about periods and how to use products but felt the feeling of secrecy about the topic.

 

Period inequity is an important issue to address as there is a prevalent stigma around menstruation globally, but especially in the Nepali culture. The deep-rooted stigmas surrounding menstruation affects how women and girls live their lives. The traditional beliefs in some areas of the Nepali society makes it incredibly difficult for people to start conversations about periods. Period shaming is inherent, girls and women are restricted from spaces within their households and in extreme cases, some are not allowed to stay inside the house. With the taboo surrounding the topic, education about menstrual hygiene is either inaccurate or lacking. Menstrual products are inaccessible or unaffordable, especially for women and girls in rural communities.

 

Our mission is to break the stigma that surrounds menstruation and bring awareness to period inequity faced by menstruators locally and globally. The Women’s Foundation of Nepal (WFN) is a non-profit organization that supports women and children who are victims of abuse, violence, and poverty. Among The issues that WFN addresses are the challenges with menstruation, domestic violence, sexual abuse, divorce, child marriage, and child labor.