The Body Shop India partners with CRY – Child Rights and You to raise awareness about Periods, Period Shame, and the impact of Period Shame on India’s girls & women. The Body Shop aimed at normalizing the conversation around periods and raise funds for hugely affected menstrual health and education efforts during the pandemic.
Through this initiative, The Body Shop and CRY will be providing free menstrual products to 10,000+ people across 4500 households of slum areas in Delhi/NCR. Along with this, there will also be special sessions educating about menstrual health and will be Anemia check-up kiosks to check common menstrual health conditions.
Shriti Malhotra, CEO, The Body Shop India said, “Our advocacy on real-world issues remains our driving force. With our core focus on feminism and female empowerment, there is no denying that the pandemic has worsened the already critical issue of period shame and menstrual access. The statistics in our country around this are appalling and there can be no letting up in pushing this conversation forward in a post-pandemic India. This is a change that each of us has the power to make – by speaking out honestly about menstruation, taking personal action in our own spaces towards it, and walking the talk in putting our financial support towards those who need this help the most. Shame-free periods, safe menstrual products, and accurate menstrual education are not a womens’ cause – it is a human cause.”
Shraddha Kapoor, Brand Ambassador, The Body Shop India said, “It gives me immense joy to lend my voice for an issue that is so close to my heart. Period shame is deeply rooted in our upbringing and there is no better time than now to question its existence. Most Indian girls feel uncomfortable talking about periods openly and this leads to a lack of awareness of menstrual health in women. Along with The Body Shop, I pledge to contribute to this noble cause in every possible way that I can, small or big. I request you all to make a pledge, donate what you can, and help create real change by ending period shame together.”
On their partnership with The Body Shop India, Ms. Puja Marwaha, CEO, Child Rights and You (CRY) said, “Field experiences gathered by CRY suggest that periods are a major reason behind girls dropping out of schools – a fact that is echoed by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) data which indicates that only 57% of adolescent girls between 15-19 years are blessed with any hygienic form of protection during their menstrual cycles. CRY is delighted to partner with The Body Shop, and together we intend to create social awareness about menstrual hygiene, and at the same time, attempt to amplify voices demanding access to free and quality sanitary napkins, safe disposal mechanisms, functional toilets, and regular awareness sessions on menstrual hygiene. We both strongly believe that awareness is the key to break the taboo and shame related to periods in our society.”
Watch the two ad films of the campaign featuring Shraddha Kapoor here and here.
