Outside a flimsy tent in a relief camp in Pakistan, a young girl, barely 10 years old, stood alone with tears streaming down her face, her clothes soaked in blood.
She had lost her whole family in floods which devastated the country in 2010. She was alone when suddenly she started her period.
“The poor girl was not much older than me, in a strange place with no family and in those circumstances, she had started her period. My mum wrapped her in a shawl and hugged her,” said Bushra Mahnoor, 22. “I didn’t understand what was happening, but I could see how devastating it was for her.”
As news reports filled the TV screens in recent weeks about the floods which struck Pakistan once again, the haunting image of that girl flashed before Bushra’s eyes when she spotted a post on Facebook from a friend, Anum Khalid, asking for help on behalf of someone who had been stranded and had no way of getting hold of menstrual hygiene products.
“I got a flashback of that little girl. and it made me realise that women’s needs are neglected, and someone has to step up. When a disaster happens, your periods don’t stop.”
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Last month, Pakistan was hit by the worst floods in its history, which has left a third of the country – equivalent to the size of the UK – underwater. Around 33 million people have been forced to leave their homes, and more than 1,500 people have died (according to the National Disaster Management Authority).
While aid has come in from around the world, it seems that, once again, the needs of women and people who have periods have been forgotten. As people’s homes were swept away by the raging waters, many women were left with no way to deal with their periods in a safe, hygienic way.
As a result, many women have been forced to improvise, using old rags and leaves. “One mother told us her daughter was using her sister’s used sanitary napkins,” said Bushra, a psychology student.
Bushra and Anum decided to set up Mahwari (period) Justice, a project to supply menstrual hygiene relief kits to women in flood-stricken areas of Pakistan.
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However, the social and cultural taboo around menstrual health in Pakistan has proved to be as much of an obstacle to their work as the practical issues.
Pakistan is a fiercely patriarchal society, particularly in the rural areas which have been worst hit by the floods, and there is a culture of silence surrounding menstruation at the best of times.
A study by UNICEF revealed that half of the girls questioned had no knowledge about menstruation when they started their first period, and 44% of the girls do not have access to basic menstrual hygiene facilities at home, their workplace or school. More than a quarter of the girls said they missed school or work while on their period.
The taboo around the subject meant that Bushra and Anum struggled to get funds, but after using social media to raise awareness, they began gathering small donations of 100 – 200 rupees (less than a pound) at a time and managed to send 3000 kits to women in some of the worst affected areas. As their campaign gathers momentum, the pair aim to distribute 50,000 kits in September.
The switches we can make.
Both women have faced a major backlash for their work, even within their own families and have also faced abuse and even sexual harassment online.
“We both come from patriarchal cities. We got called shameless for talking openly about this issue. It’s considered a dirty secret and women don’t talk openly about it among themselves even. We hide pads in our sleeves. However, menstrual health has a huge impact on women.” said Anum.
“Working for period relief which is a huge taboo in Pakistan, is not easy. But what’s worse is the men who flirt and they think I’m ‘easy’ because I talk about periods openly. We get a lot of abuse online,” Bushra added.
The struggles these students face highlight the gendered response to disaster relief. In many disaster-struck areas, it is mostly men who run the distribution of aid on the ground and often male family members collecting aid packages, and it’s mostly men in the decision-making process when it comes to aid distribution which is why the needs of women often get neglected.
“People would say they need food and clean water, not pads, but it was not a case of choosing between them. Pads are a basic need,” said Anum. “It is hurtful that men are deciding the priorities of what women need or don’t need during disaster aid. A non-menstruator cannot understand the need.”
Despite all the logistical difficulties and cultural issues, the project has started some much-needed conversations around menstrual health and has received support from unexpected sources.
“It gets very draining,” Bushra concedes, "the amount of work, the internet difficulties, the backlash and pressure from the family, plus keeping up with studies, but people are supporting us.
"One man contacted us saying after hearing our story; he put together 400 menstrual relief kits alongside food and other supplies. My Uber driver refused to take any money because he heard me talking on the radio and said it was his way of showing thanks.
“Another man told us that after hearing about the project, he spoke to his daughters about menstrual health. For a father to talk to his daughters about it is unheard of in Pakistan, and this man realised he needs to put the needs of his daughters first. We are starting some much-needed conversations.”
The flood in Pakistan highlights how young women are disproportionately affected by disasters and many experts are calling for a more gender-inclusive approach to disaster relief globally which recognises their needs.
“It’s an important issue that is often overlooked, even more so in the cultural context of Pakistan where talking about periods is considered taboo and embarrassing for most people,” according to Sidra Khalid, Senior Researcher in International Development, who has also advised Save the Children on menstrual health issues.
“Nonetheless, periods don’t stop during disasters, and the menstrual health of those who menstruate must be considered as part of humanitarian programming.”
As their campaign gathers momentum, the pair aim to distribute 50,000 kits this month. If you wish to help Mahwari Justice, you can donate to their GoFundMe.
