Thank you so much Valeri and team for this opportunity and to moderator for comprehensive introduction.
Let me be very simple.
As a founder of global south
coalition for dignified menstruation, menopause is an inevitable biological
milestone of all menstruators. Menstruators means to those who are born with
uterus and ovaries. With individual difference, the ceasing of menstruation for
a year called a menopause. It could be chemical, surgical or natural. More
importantly, they could be anyone and anywhere. While having menopause, they
may experience various forms of menopausal symptoms before, during or
post-menopause. Few of them may experience moderate to severe types of
menopausal symptoms includes insomnia, hot flus, itching, lack of libido,
painful intercourse, joint, muscle pain, brain fog, palpitation, suicidal
tendency etc. In short, they may feel symptoms from head to toe.
It affects to the individual,
her/his partner, husband, children, colleagues in workplace. There is taboo on
menopause, the menstruators her/himself blaming self, excluded from family,
partner, friends and depressed.
Menopause is beyond the health
issue. The nuances of menopause have impact to socio economic and political
dimension. Neither the medical, nursing and public health professionals nor the
Sexual and reproductive health and rights nor human rights actors consider as
serious concern yet.
As an element of dignified
menstruation, a life cycle approach, each menstruators deserve to have
dignified menopause. This is very high time that all of us have to look through
the dignified menstruation approach to make each menopause dignified. Here, I
appeal to all stakeholders including government to work by conducting
contextual researches, formulating workplace policy, incorporate the dignified
menopause in to school curriculum to curriculum to university.
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I pause here about menopause and
like to speak bit about andropause. Ofcourse, it is a matter related with
non-menstrutaors or who born without uterus and ovaries. The individual
difference is always there though it is a symptom of aging indeed. I personally
do not like to call male menopause because non-menstruators don’t menstruate
and they continuously have the capacity of being father. It is not as like
menopause at all. Menstruators could not have capacity to reproduce babies once
they have menopause. Most importantly, the declining of hormone level is not as
like among menstruators.
However, while experiencing andropause, non-menstruators may
also experience certain symptoms like low sexual activity and interest, sorts
of depression, erectile dysfunction, physical or emotional symptoms when they
reach late 40s to early 50s.
Andropause is also matter of taboo. And it is difficult to
express by non-menstruators because they born without uterus and ovaries
therefore, they raised with powerful, superior, privileges. Talking about andropause is kind of losing
their power, potency and passion.
As a champion for dignified menstruation, andropause is also
equally important to educate and advocate at family, community and workplace.
There are various alternative technics to overcome such symptoms like exercise,
meditation, yoga etc. In certain case, dr may start the hormonal therapy as
well.
