Akshay Kumar who will participate in a Menstrual Awareness Conclave which will be held in New Delhi to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, says the society can only implement change if there are discussions.

The  Niine Movement ambitious five-year plan aimed at raising awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene and tackling the taboos associated with menstruation will officially launch at the inaugural Menstrual Awareness Conclave.

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Despite menstruation being an experience lived by as many as 355 million girls and women in India, approximately only 18% of them currently use sanitary napkins with approximately 82% of women often reverting to unhygienic alternatives such as old cloths, rags, hay and even ash. The reasons behind this staggering statistic include decades of archaic attitudes and stigma surrounding menstruation.

The lack of choice and accessibility for safe and affordable sanitary products and the limited awareness of the importance of proper menstrual hygiene management; even amongst the 18%, some are still unaware of maintaining proper genital hygiene and the correct usage of the product, often overusing sanitary napkins. 

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As a result of the unwillingness to discuss menstruation, there is a subsequent culture of silence and shame which has left women and girls with no choice but to partake in unsafe menstrual practices, frequently resulting in urinary and reproductive tract infections, stress, and anxiety. 

The Menstrual Awareness Conclave will convene renowned film personalities, academics, policymakers, government officials, activists, medical experts, to discuss the impact that stigma and taboos have had on menstruation, which has held girls and women back for centuries from achieving their potential and living a life of respect and dignity.

Acclaimed actor Akshay Kumar, whose most recent award-winning film Pad Man, tackled the issue of menstrual taboo. He recently began his support of the Niine Movement with the launch of the nationwide campaign #18to82 to bridge the gap between the minority that is able to adopt hygienic practices and the large majority who are not able to make an informed choice in these matters.

As one of India’s most respected and reputed social change and women’s empowerment advocates, Akshay Kumar will take to the stage to interact with the audience, sharing never before heard experiences of his time filming Pad Man and explaining why he was so compelled to not only star but produce a film on “periods”.