SUSWA

🌍 Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026 – Glimpses from Community, Provincial & National Engagements 🌸

On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026, meaningful celebrations were carried out across multiple levels, community, provincial, and national through collaboration, awareness, and action under SUSWA’s initiatives across 28 working palikas.

At the community level, various SUSWA working palikas actively marked the day through impactful activities such as sanitary pad making training, school-based sessions on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), and awareness discussions aimed at breaking stigma and promoting dignity around menstruation.

At the provincial level in Karnali Province, especially in Surkhet, in collaboration with KADMM, a special video screening and awareness program was organized under MH Day celebrations. Several powerful videos, including Adrikshya Aashu, Influencer’s Engagement for DMM in Karnali, and Chhaupadi Ko Bedana, were showcased and received strong appreciation from the audience for their message and impact. SUSWA also actively participated in the event and contributed to the wider dialogue on menstrual dignity.

At the national level in Kathmandu, a special program organized by MHMPA was held under the theme “महिनावारीमैत्री समाजका लागि सहकार्य”. During this meaningful gathering, SUSWA was honored with the opportunity to showcase its film “Tuteko Sanglo”, contributing to awareness and advocacy around menstrual health and rights.

From schools to communities, and from local to national platforms, the message remained clear: Menstrual health is a right, not a privilege.

🙏 Grateful to all partners, stakeholders, and communities for making MH Day 2026 impactful and meaningful.

💬 “Together for a ”

European Union in Nepal Embassy of Finland in Kathmandu

The wait is finally over.

This Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026, communities across all 28 municipalities of Karnali, SUSWA working areas came together to celebrate dignity, awareness, inclusion, and transformation. And on this meaningful occasion, SUSWA proudly launches its most awaited short film:

🎬 “टुटेको सङ्लो | Tuteko Sanglo (The Broken Chain)”

For generations, menstruation has often been surrounded by silence, stigma, restrictions, and shame. Many women and girls faced isolation, limited access to safe sanitation, and barriers that affected their dignity, health, education, and confidence.

But change is happening.

Across Karnali, communities are slowly breaking these chains through awareness, inclusive WASH services, open dialogue, and collective action around menstrual health and dignity.

Together with local governments, schools, women’s groups, youth networks, religious leaders, and communities, SUSWA has contributed to this transformation by:
✨ Training 5,218 people on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), including sanitary pad making
✨ Promoting safer, dignified, and more inclusive menstrual practices
✨ Supporting a major behavioural shift, where 90% of women are now using toilets during menstruation according to SUSWA results

“Tuteko Sanglo” is inspired by these real stories of transformation.
It reflects the journey from silence to confidence, from exclusion to dignity, and from harmful taboos towards empowerment and inclusion.

Because Menstrual Hygiene Day is not only about menstruation it is about equality, dignity, health, and ensuring that no woman or girl is left behind.

🎥 Watch the film here: https://youtu.be/UkUcTMjjULE?si=8CJAkug6BIL4By6f

Together, let’s continue breaking the chains.

European Union in Nepal Embassy of Finland in Kathmandu Bipana SinghSreejana Baduwalमान बहादुर कुँवर भैरे Rekha Joshi Ibsal Sanjyal Raju Tirwa