Awareness session held on International Women’s Day highlights the need for open dialogue on menstrual health among adolescent girls
Palghar, Maharashtra | March 7th, 2026 – In an effort to break long-standing silence around menstruation and encourage open conversations between generations, the Ujaas initiative organized Founded by Advaitesha Birla, a “Let’s Talk Red II” mother–daughter awareness event on menstrual health and hygiene in Palghar district on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
The program was held at Madhyamik Vidyalay Bhagini Samaj, Palghar, bringing together 25 mothers and 25 adolescent girls, along with teachers and Principal. The event was attended by School Principal Ms. Pranita Vartak, who joined as the guest for the occasion. Through Ujaas, the organisation continues to advance adolescent health and gender equity by addressing menstrual health with sensitivity, scientific awareness, and community engagement. Recognising that menstrual health is closely linked to dignity, education, and opportunity, the initiative seeks to normalise conversations around menstruation and ensure that no girl’s confidence or education is limited by stigma.
“For the past 1 years, Ujaas has been working closely with communities across Palghar to build awareness around menstrual health and hygiene. During this time, we have reached over 28643 beneficiaries and distributed more than 40737 sanitary pads free of cost to ensure that girls have access to safe menstrual products. What has been most telling in this journey is that despite Palghar being geographically close to Mumbai, the gap in awareness around menstruation was significant. In the early years, even obtaining permission to conduct menstrual health awareness sessions was a challenge due to the stigma surrounding the topic. Today, after years of consistent community engagement, we are able to bring mothers and daughters together to openly discuss menstruation. This shift shows that when conversations start within families and communities, they can play a powerful role in building confidence, improving health outcomes, and ensuring that no girl feels ashamed of a natural biological process,” said Poonam Patkar, Head – Ujaas.
A key highlight of the event was a mother–daughter conversation circle, designed to create a safe space for open dialogue. Mothers shared their own experiences of their first menstruation, while daughters expressed their expectations for care, understanding, and emotional support.
Some Key conversations that were raised during the mother daughter conversations were
One of the girls who participated shared that “This program gave us the confidence to talk openly about menstruation. It helped strengthen the bond between mothers and daughters, and I believe more such discussions should happen in our communities.”
One of the mothers who participated shared that “This session was very helpful. We learned important information about menstruation and how mothers and daughters can support each other. I wish I had brought my other daughters to this event. Discussions like this should happen more often.”
About Ujaas
Ujaas, an initiative by the Aditya Birla Education Trust, is committed to driving awareness, breaking stigmas, and providing sustainable solutions for menstrual health and hygiene across India. Through community grassroots activities and manufacturing units, Ujaas empowers women to take charge of their health and their future.