Inaugural Speech, 16 February, World Social Forum
Dear Friends,
Namaste, Salam Alaikum and good morning
from the World Social Forum 2024, Kathmandu Nepal.
As a founder and office of Secretariat of
Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation, it is my great honored and
pleasure to welcome you all here in Kathmandu and the session entitled
`dignified menstruation: decolonized the menstrual movement and reimagining the
feminism’.
First, on behalf of GSCDM, please accept my
heartfelt congratulations, for having a session on dignified menstruation ever first
time in 16th version of World Social Forum.
Dear Friends,
Let me start my speech with the pledge of
world’s social forum ‘Another World is Possible’. I do repeat the pledge `Another
World is Possible’.
How would you think while thinking about
the `another world possible’ regards to decolonized menstrual movement and
feminism?
(Pause…)
Many questions flooded over my mind. You
may called me crazy by hearing all my questions.
Dear Friends,
What kind of another world, are we looking
for? Why don’t you become happy with current world or development or feminism?
Who will steer in another world? Or where
will be the margin of margin in another world?
How does destroy the peace invisibly in
everyday life? And who will be the most affected in active wars like in Ukraine
or Gaza or any pandemic or climate crisis and so on?
Are you really working for another world?
If yes, do you think the current strategies
and activities are aligned towards another world or reverse the effects of neo-liberalization,
marginalization, climate crisis, violence against girls, women and gender
non-binary, inequality, food insecurity, war and so on.
I believe that you would say No.
(Pause….)
I do vote for you.
If so, let’s sow the seeds for creating
another world now. It’s now without spending a single second.
1. Let’s challenge the
`gender’. Because the word gender take time for equality and inclusion. If we
call menstruation instead of gender, it categories the people in two way;
menstruators and non-menstruators. Menstruators people who born with a uterus
and ovaries and non-menstruators means people who born without a uterus and
ovaries. It expedites the inclusion either in ICU bed of pandemic or flood or
earthquake or parliament or anywhere and also allows space for menstruators
with disabilities, indigenous people or trans men or others who born with a
uterus and ovaries. Because we can’t imagine the place without the presence of
menstruators.
2. Let’s challenge the GESI or Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
Policy. None of the GESI policies from UN to local level incorporate the
discrimination associated with menstruation, menopause and its systemic and
symptomatic impact throughout the life cycle of the menstruators in all diverse
settings.
3. Let’s challenge the definition of sexual and gender based
violence. It does not acknowledged various forms of menstrual discrimination
includes taboos, stigma, shyness, abuses, violence, denial of resources and
services due to menstruation.
4. Let’s challenge the power and patriarchy. Often many of us blame
to unequal power relationship and patriarchy for many things such as neo-liberalization
or militarization, SGBV, climate crisis, human trafficking, lack of
participation of women in peace and politics and so on. Here, do they
acknowledge the underlying cause of unequal power relation and patriarchy that
construct and reinforce by menstrual discrimination since childhood.
5. Let’s challenge the caste discrimination. The abolition of caste
system expedite if there is incorporation of dialogue on dignified
menstruation. Because the caste system embedded with religion and culture as
like menstrual discrimination.
6. Let’s challenge the current Sexual and Reproductive health and
rights. Why global community does struggling on stigma and violence around
SRHR? Because they missed the menstrual dignity as an entry of it.
7. Let’s examine the Sustainable Development Goals? Over 9 goals
couldn’t achieve without having menstrual dignity but who cares about it.
8. Let’s challenge the current menstrual movement. Do the menstrual
management, period poverty, menstrual health, tampon tax, or free distribution
of menstrual pad programs do address all forms of menstrual discrimination or
promote human right or dignity of menstruators? So menstrual dignity is optimum
and holistic approach create another world where all forms of people specially
marginalized individuals and communities will be steering as we expected.
9. Could you prevent hunger, malnutrition or anemia without
addressing the menstrual dignity? No.
10.
Could you assure the climate
justice without addressing the various forms of menstrual discrimination?
11.
Last but not least, do you
think the current democracy is inclusive no because none of actors consider the
menstrual discrimination is a barrier for inclusive democracy?
Dear Friends, let’s make our home, school,
community, workplace, parliament and everywhere dignified menstrual friendly in
order to create the space for margin of the margin especially for menstruators
in all diverse settings. Let’s deconstruct our understandings on power,
menstrual movement and feminism. It’s time up.
I do thank you.
