UNFPA and Denmark launch ‘Flow With Pride’ campaign to combat period stigma

UNFPA and Denmark launch ‘Flow With Pride’ campaign to combat period stigma

UNFPA, the United Nations agency for sexual and reproductive health and the Danish Embassy, ​​launched the “Flow with Pride” campaign, an initiative to eradicate menstrual stigma and period poverty while promoting healthy and menstrual dignity.

Speaking at the launch on Saturday, UNFPA Kenya Representative Anders Thomsen said menstrual stigma and shame create barriers that prevent women and girls from achieving their academic, social and economic aspirations.

“This campaign is a call to action for all of us to ensure that no girl is lost or left behind, building a society where menstruation is seen as a normal and healthy part of life,” added Thomsen .

Danish Ambassador Stephan Schønemann assured that Denmark is committed to empowering girls and women to realize their full potential.

“Access to safe and decent menstrual health and hygiene improves mental well-being, boosts school attendance and work participation, leading to better grades for students and fewer wage losses for women,” said Schønemann.

The Ambassador further noted that Denmark is proud to partner with UNFPA Kenya to launch the campaign, which will support Kenya’s commitment to fostering a society where no girl is left behind because of her period and where women and girls thrive.

To launch the campaign, UNFPA and the Danish Embassy partnered with Common Light Pictures, AL IS ON Production and FilmAid Kenya.

This is to organize a large-scale screening of the powerful film Impure, a coming-of-age story inspired by the tragic 2019 incident of a young girl from Kabiangek, Kenya, who committed suicide after being ridiculed during her first period.

Community screenings of Impure will take place in Nairobi, Bomet, West Pokot, Turkana, Garissa and Kwale as part of awareness and education efforts.

Screenings will be accompanied by guided dialogues aimed at creating safe spaces for open conversations about menstrual health while addressing harmful societal norms.

The campaign is expected to run until December 2025 and will bring together civil society, grassroots organizations, development agencies, government and private sector partners to promote and improve menstrual health and dignity across Kenya.

Beyond stigma, challenges around managing menstruation continue to create new obstacles for women and girls.

These challenges include lack of access to menstrual health products, lack of information and inadequate care when complications arise, which exclude them from education, work and economic opportunities.

A situation analysis by the Ministry of Health revealed that more than half of Kenyan girls still struggle to access menstrual hygiene products.

For girls living in low-resource settings, these challenges often translate into missed school days, with some losing up to 20 percent of the school year. In addition to community-level commitments, the campaign will advocate for stronger action from governments, policymakers and partners to improve the implementation of menstrual health and hygiene policies and increase funding for initiatives in menstrual health matters.