ISLAMABAD: An organization working for women empowerment through entrepreneurship, iCube, organised delibrations titled “#HackThePad: Women Health & Hygiene Conference” at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentarian Services (PIPS) and called upon political parties to include women health and hygiene into their manifestos while adding that gender equality along with the rights for maternal and reproductive health were absolutely fundamental for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
The speakers said that society in Pakistan was closed to women-specific health issues and menstrual hygiene was still a major taboo even in moderate and educated circles.
iCube collaborated with United States of America’s (USA) Peace University, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Motorway Police and Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) to make the event happen.
Ministry of Climate Change Parliamentary Secretary Romina Khursheed Alam said that women health had a direct bearing on the generations to come and these issues needed to be taken seriously.
Alam added that awareness needed to be created at the grass-root level and women in Pakistan lived a life of fear and subjugation.
FreshStart Founder and Sehat Marketing Director Bilal Mumtaz moderated a panel on ‘Menstrual Hygiene and its Associated Taboos’.
Recircle Co-Founder Wasma Imran revealed that she had developed a product specifically for menstrual hygiene called a “Menstrual Cup”.
Dr Zoona Saeed, a gynaecologist, gave a talk on the benefits of cervical screening as a prerequisite for the prevention of Cervical Cancer.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said, “We cannot achieve health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unless we empower our women by giving them their due rights, providing them education and involving them in the decision-making process.”
Railways Police Inspector General (IG) Dr Mujeeb ur Rehman said that the society should change its attitude towards women because a woman’s health has its impacts on the entire society.
