Islamabad: At a high-level event distributing hygiene kits, Coordinator to Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, highlighted the intrinsic link between women’s socio-economic empowerment and access to sanitation and hygiene facilities. Addressing the gathering under the ‘She Power’ initiative, Alam emphasized the importance of improving sanitary conditions for enhancing women’s health, dignity, and economic opportunities.

According to Press Information Department, the ‘She Power’ initiative, supported by Asian Synergies alongside the climate change ministry and the Chinese government, focuses on boosting health, hygiene, and education in Balochistan’s underserved areas. The program, which includes distributing hygiene kits containing sanitary pads and other essentials, aims to improve the life quality and health of young women in the region, reflecting ongoing cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Alam noted the initiative’s success in raising awareness about good hygiene practices, particularly menstrual hygiene management, and expressed plans to extend these efforts to girls’ schools across other provinces.

The initiative was launched last month in Gwadar, Lasbella, and Quetta, distributing over 20,000 hygiene kits to schoolgirls. This effort is part of a broader strategy to reduce school dropout rates among girls by ensuring they can manage their menstrual health with dignity. Local health workers and community leaders are actively promoting this initiative, aiming to address cultural barriers and misinformation surrounding menstrual health. Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, also spoke at the event, calling the initiative a transformative step for promoting open discussions about menstruation among schoolgirls in Balochistan, helping to reduce stigma and encouraging consistent school attendance.