PESHAWAR: Experts have called for collective efforts to ensure that girls and women don`t suffer due to menstruation and continue their education, work and other activities without stigma or vulnerability.

During a seminar held at the Khyber Medical University on Tuesday to mark the Menstrual Hygiene Day, the experts saidthey knew that the inability to manage menstruation with dignity was a silent but persistent form of gender-based violence that kept girls out of school, women out of work, and communities trapped in cycles of stigma and misinformation.

They, however, said those attitudes could be changed through joint public efforts.

During the event, jointly organised by MHM Working Group Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Water Aid and Unicef, the experts said climate change deepened those inequalities towards women because floods, droughts and displacement disrupted women`s access to water, sanitation and menstrual products, especially in rural andclimate-affected communities.

They said time had changed, so no women should suffer.

The event featured discussions on various important aspects of menstrual health.

Naheed Akhtar Khan from SRSP delivered a presentation on `Climate & Dignity: Menstrual Health in a Changing World,` emphasising the link between climate change and menstrual health.

Prof Robina Nazli, dean of Basic Medical Sciences, highlighted menstrual hygiene management in girls and stressed the need for educational interventions and institutional support.

Huma Kanwal Atta, head of KMU`s Mental HealthDepartment, spoke on the mental health toll of menstruation in humanitarian settings and highlighted the importance of psychosocial support systems.

Toheed Bibi from the Water Aid underlined the urgency of inclusive policies and practical planning for menstrual health management.

A separate session was held on `policy integration and system strengthening for MHM, amid calls for the alignment of EMIS and HMIS systems and ensuring budget allocations, especially in the context of climate resilience.

Representing the MHM Working Group, Dr Wasaf Syed expressed gratitude to all participants and stakeholders.She said that menstrual health and hygiene were a shared responsibility and that every individual in society must play a role in its promotion.

In the concluding remarks, Vice Chancellor of the KMU Prof Ziaul Haq stressed the importance of continuous awareness campaigns, interinstitutional collaboration and policy-level actions to prioritise menstrual health.

The event served as an effective platform to promote dialogue, collaboration and practical efforts on menstrual health in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, further strengthening the resolve to build a period-friendly world.