TIMES REPORT
PESHAWAR: The Steering Committee members and partners of the Pakistan Alliance for Life Skills-Based Education (PAL) have unanimously endorsed the Kathmandu Declaration on Dignified Menstruation, marking a significant milestone in advancing menstrual dignity, equity, and human rights in Pakistan.
The Kathmandu Declaration recognizes menstruation as a fundamental human right and justice issue. It highlights the urgent need to dismantle stigma, discrimination, and structural inequalities rooted in patriarchy, harmful social norms, and exclusion. The Declaration calls for the integration of dignified menstruation across key sectors, including education, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), workplaces, humanitarian responses, WASH systems, and inclusive services for marginalized populations, including sexual and gender minorities.
Developed under the leadership of Dr. Radha Paudel, founder of the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation, the Declaration reflects a growing global movement working across more than 35 countries. It promotes a dignity-centered, decolonized, and life-cycle approach, positioning menstruation as a social, political, and development issue that requires urgent and sustained action.
Speaking on the occasion, Qamar Naseem, Program Manager Blue Veins and Member of the Steering Committee Pakistan, stated: “This endorsement reflects our collective commitment to advancing dignified menstruation as a human rights priority and ensuring inclusive policies that leave no one behind.
This endorsement is expected to strengthen national advocacy, multi-sectoral coordination, and engagement with policymakers to translate the principles of the Kathmandu Declaration into meaningful action in Pakistan.
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