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That health issue of girls: An inclusive look at it

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by Dr b. J. C. Perera

It is a thing that is generally avoided like the plague in most conversations. Discussions on it are often taboo in classrooms or public forums. It is something that is thought of as a thing to be discussed only with medical professionals when it becomes a real problem. Yet for all that, it is a regular occurrence that brings about a myriad of challenges for the females of the species, young and old, especially in schools and in public settings. That generally unmentionable thing is menstruation, menstrual health or in more colloquial terms, the monthly periods of the ladies.

While it is well acknowledged to be a natural biological process, societal stigmas, inadequate facilities, and lack of understanding associated with the monthly periods can make managing them a very difficult experience for the ladies. Many a time, they continue to suffer in silence. This article aims to shed some light on the real problems faced particularly by teenage girls in schools and public places during menstrual periods.

To find solutions to a problem like this, we need to look at some of the data that we already have. Around the world, the menstrual health and hygiene needs of girls are being very clearly overlooked. According to UNICEF, looking at a global scenario, only 2 out of 5 schools provide menstrual health education and less than 1 in 3 schools have bins for menstrual waste in girls’ toilets. Released on Menstrual Hygiene Day, the new WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) report, Progress on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools 2015-2023: Special focus on menstrual health, analyses for the first time, emerging national data on menstrual health and hygiene in schools globally.

The report also includes progress on broader access to drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools. According to the latest data, 1 in 5 children (447 million) still lack basic drinking water services at their school, 1 in 5 lack basic sanitation services (427 million), and 1 in 3 children (646 million) do not have access to basic hygiene services. The report underscores the urgent need for global action to improve menstrual health and hygiene as well as access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services in schools.

One of the most pervasive issues of the saga is the stigma surrounding menstruation. Many cultures and communities consider periods to be an offensive, unmentionable topic, which can lead to embarrassment and shame for young girls. This stigma is often reinforced by peers, making it difficult for girls to talk openly about their menstrual needs or ask for help. To compound it further, schools and public places often lack the necessary facilities to manage the challenges posed by menstrual periods comfortably. This includes the absence of clean and private restrooms, disposal bins for sanitary products, and access to sanitary supplies. In many schools, restrooms may be locked or are too far from classrooms, making it inconvenient for girls to change their sanitary products as needed.

Many teenage girls receive little to no education about menstrual health. Without proper information, they may not know how to manage their periods effectively or understand what is normal and what is not. This lack of knowledge can lead to anxiety and misconceptions about menstruation. The high-sounding phrase ‘Period Poverty’, or the lack of access to menstrual products due to financial constraints, is a significant issue. Many girls cannot afford the required sanitary products, leading to the use of unsafe alternatives or opting to miss school altogether during their periods. It is quite natural for these periods to be associated with some physical discomforts in some females. Menstrual cramps, headaches, and other physical symptoms can be debilitating, affecting a girl’s ability to concentrate and participate in school activities.

Without proper pain management strategies or access to pain relief, these symptoms can significantly impact a girl’s education, school performance and attendance. Creating an open and supportive environment is crucial in breaking the stigma around menstruation. Schools can play a significant role by integrating menstrual health education into the curriculum and fostering open discussions.

Encouraging girls to talk about their periods with trusted friends, teachers, or family members can also help reduce feelings of shame and isolation. Providing comprehensive menstrual health education can empower girls with the knowledge they need to manage their periods confidently.

Schools should include information on the menstrual cycle, how to use different sanitary products, and ways to alleviate common symptoms. Access to reliable resources and guidance from health professionals can also be beneficial. In this era of the internet and artificial intelligence, it is child’s play to secure scientific information for such initiatives. Advocating for better facilities in schools and public places is essential. This includes ensuring that restrooms are clean, private, and equipped with necessary supplies such as pads and tampons.

Schools can establish policies that allow girls to access restrooms whenever needed without having to ask for permission or feel embarrassed. The educational authorities and politicians, without strutting around while pontificating on our free education system, need to look at this dire need and take pre-emptive action to do what is desperately needed.

To combat ‘period poverty’, schools and community organizations can and should, distribute free sanitary products to those in need. Initiatives such as stocking school restrooms with sanitary items, or creating donation drives for such products, can make a significant difference. Governments and policymakers should also be urged to consider menstrual products as essential items and ensure their availability in public spaces. Strict price control measures on these products would be an imperative and right step in the right direction.

Girls should be encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits that can alleviate menstrual symptoms. Regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and staying hydrated can help manage cramps and other discomforts. Schools can support this by allowing girls to participate in physical education at their comfort level and providing information on effective pain relief methods.

Establishing peer support groups in schools can provide a safe space for girls to share their experiences and advice. These groups can help normalize menstruation and reduce feelings of isolation. Peer mentors can offer practical tips and emotional support, making it easier for younger girls to navigate their menstrual health.

Educating teachers about menstrual health and sensitivity can make a significant impact. Teachers should be aware of the challenges faced by menstruating students and be prepared to offer support and accommodations when needed. Simple actions like allowing extra restroom breaks, being discreet about menstrual needs, and providing a supportive attitude can make a big difference.

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their daughters through many aspects of menstruation. Open communication at home can help girls feel more comfortable discussing their needs and concerns. Parents can also advocate for better menstrual health education and facilities at their children’s schools. Steps that are taken to highlight the awareness in the general community about menstrual health issues can help reduce stigma and promote better support systems. Community workshops, awareness campaigns, and the involvement of local health professionals can educate both girls and boys about the importance of menstrual health and how to be supportive.

Menstrual health is a critical aspect of overall well-being for teenagers and for that matter, all ladies of our Motherland. However, it comes with various challenges, especially in schools and public places. By addressing stigma, improving facilities, providing education, and ensuring access to sanitary products, we can create an environment where girls feel empowered and supported. Schools, families, and communities need to work together to promote menstrual health and break down the barriers that prevent girls from managing their periods with confidence and dignity. With the right support and resources, young teenage girls can navigate their menstrual health challenges effectively and thrive both academically and personally.

Finally, a well-known politician brought these matters to the attention of the public, not all that long ago. For all his trouble, he was laughed at, ridiculed immensely, and even called “Pad Man” by many others of his ilk. This writer is no great fan of that individual, but he has to be admired for his courage and having the guts to bring it out into the open. It speaks so much for our despondent political culture and its miserable followers who constitute that herd, that his detractors behaved as if they did not have grandmothers, mothers, aunts, wives, daughters, lady friends, or for that matter, even mistresses, when they elected to call him disparaging names for bringing to light a very important problem.



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US withdrawal from UNHRC, a boon to political repression and ultra-nationalism

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President Trump in a meeting with President Putin. The New York Times

The US’ reported withdrawal from the UNHRC and some other vital UN agencies could be seen as a fillip to anti-democratic and ultra-nationalistic forces worldwide. Besides, the stark message is being conveyed that the developing regions of the world would from now on suffer further impoverishment and powerlessness.

The UNHRC needs to be more effective and proactive in bringing to book those states that are lagging in upholding and implementing human rights standards. But thus far it has been notable in the main in only ‘naming and shaming’ periodically those countries that stand accused of human rights and associated violations. More states and their rulers who have proved notorious violators of International Law, for instance, need to be brought to justice.

Hopefully, the UNHRC would be more dynamic in carrying out its responsibilities going forward but it needs material, moral and financial sustenance in increasing measure as it goes about trying to implement its brief. By withdrawing its support for the UNHRC at this juncture the US has further weakened the body and thereby provided a stimulant to the forces of repression worldwide.

What ought to be equally disquieting for the ethically-conscious is the withdrawal of US support for the WHO, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees or the UNRWA and the Paris Climate Agreement. With these actions the US under President Donald Trump has forfeited all claims to being the world’s foremost democracy. It could no longer lead from the front, so to speak, in championing human rights and democratic development.

It is no coincidence that almost at the time of these decisions by the US, President Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At the time of writing what transpired at these talks is not known to the public but it is plain to see that under the ultra-rightist Israeli Prime Minister, there would be no easy closure to the Middle East conflict and the accompanying blood-letting.

This is in view of the fact that the hawkish Trump administration would be hand-in-glove with the Netanyahu regime right along. There would be no political solution in the foreseeable future nor could it be guaranteed by the main stakeholders to the Middle East question that the current ceasefire would continue.

As mentioned in this column before, Israel would need strong security guarantees from the Palestinian camp and its supporters before it sits earnestly at the negotiating table but a policy of repression by the Israeli state would in no way help in resolving the conflict and in ushering even a measure of peace in the region. With the staunch support of the Trump administration the Netanyahu regime could stave off Palestinian resistance for the time being and save face among its supporters but peace in the Middle East would continue to be a lost cause.

The issues in focus would only be further compounded by the US decision to cease support for the rehabilitation and material sustenance of Palestinian refugees. This policy decision would only result in the further alienation and estrangement of Palestinians from the Western world. Consequently, Intifada-type uprisings should only be expected in the future.

As should be obvious, the US decision to pull out of the WHO would further weaken this vital agency of the UN. A drop in material, medical and financial assistance for the WHO would translate into graver hardships for the suffering civilians in the world’s conflict and war zones. The end result could be the alienation of the communities concerned from the wider international community, resulting in escalating law and order and governance issues worldwide. Among other things, the world would be having on its hands aggravating identity politics consequent to civilian publics being radicalized.

Considering the foregoing, the inference is inescapable that the US is heading in the direction of increasing international isolation and a policy of disengaging from multilateral institutions and arrangements geared to worthy causes that could serve world peace. As matters stand, it would not be wrong to conclude that the Trump administration is quite content with the prevailing ‘international disorder’.

One of the most negative consequences of the US decision to pull out of the UNHRC is the encouragement the forces of repression and ultra-nationalism could gain by it. In almost all the states of South Asia, to consider one region that is notable from this viewpoint, the forces of ultra-nationalism and majoritarian chauvinism could be said to be predominant.

Unfortunately, such forces seem to be on the rise once again in even post-Hasina Bangladesh. In Sri Lanka these forces are somewhat dormant at present but they could erupt to the surface, depending on how diligently the present government guards against their rise.

However, the government of Sri Lanka could not be said to be going the extra mile currently to blunt the appeal of ultra-nationalism, whether it is of the Southern kind or of the Northern kind. Crunch time for the Sri Lankan state would come when it has to seriously cooperate with the UNHRC and help bring those accused of war crimes in Sri Lanka to justice. On whether it could cooperate in this exercise would depend the democratic credentials of the present regime.

The cumulative result of the Trump administration weakening the UN and its agencies would be the relentless rise of anti-democratic, fascistic and repressive regimes the world over. Given this backdrop, one could expect the war in the Ukraine and those wasting civil wars in Africa to rage on. In the case of the Ukraine, the possibility of the US and NATO not being of one mind on ways of ending the war there, could render closure of the conflict any time soon impossible.

However, waiting on the US with the expectation that it would be pulling itself together, so to speak, before long and addressing the issue of international law and order would be tantamount to handing over the world to a most uncertain future. It is highly unlikely that the Trump administration would prove equal to the challenge of bringing even a measure of order out of the current global chaos, given the primacy it would be attaching to what it sees as its national interest.

Rather than wait in suspense, democracy oriented sections the world over would do well to come together in a meeting of minds, with the UN playing a catalytic role in it, to figure out how they could pool all the resources at their command to bring about a world order that would be more respectful of International Law in word and spirit.

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‘The Onset: A Short Story’: A philosophical drama attempting to redefine perception and cinema

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A scene from the movie with Hannah Brennen and Matt Heakes

Debut filmmaker, Thevin Gamage, presents a bold challenge to the time-honoured conventions of cinema. Through his daring short film, Thevin invites audiences to reconsider ‘the truth’ of cinematic rules. The 180-degree rule is broken with seamless subtlety, and a fresh perspective is offered on breaking the fourth wall.

This 13+ minute dialogue-driven drama, ‘The Onset: A Short Story’ featuring two actors and created with the collaboration of a debut cinematographer, was shot entirely in his living room—a testament to ingenuity and creative audacity.

The film not only aims to redefine the language of cinema but also thematically contests one of Plato’s most renowned teachings—The Allegory of the Cave. Thevin offers a fresh lens to examine ‘truth’ blending bold cinematic innovation with a philosophical exploration of perception, arrogance, and enlightenment.

At its heart, this story reflects the universal tension between belief and truth, highlighting the cost of breaking free from illusions. His debut is both a defiant act of rebellion and a bold invitation to shape the evolution of future cinema, leaving audiences with as many questions as answers.

Born into a family of artists in Sri Lanka, Thevin, grew up surrounded by a legacy of creativity yet confined by the traditional expectations of society. His parents achieved success as actors and later as entrepreneurs.

For Thevin, questioning the rules was not rebellion for its own sake—it was a search for freedom, truth, and new perspectives. This drive began in childhood, where strict parental expectations collided with his innate creativity. Movies became his escape, a lens through which he experienced life, love, and possibility.

Yet it wasn’t until his late twenties, after years of academic success and professional detours that he finally embraced his calling as a filmmaker. His audacious short film bridges his personal journey with his artistic vision. By breaking the 180-degree rule and redefining the fourth wall, the film demonstrates that cinematic rules can evolve—not as acts of rebellion, but as purposeful explorations of storytelling.

In the spirit of art and its boundless novelty, Thevin Gamage seeks to induct exactly that: originality.

His debut film is a bold exploration of cinematic boundaries and philosophical inquiry, redefining two foundational principles of cinema. This film invites audiences to experience a narrative that subtly bends the historical rules of the 180-degree rule and the fourth wall—often without them even realizing it.

This debut dares you.

It’s a resolute challenge to tradition and a provocative reminder that “rules” are just a few letters that form a word.

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About young filmmaker

Thevin Gamage

Thevin Gamage is a South Asian filmmaker whose journey reflects both a profound reverence for tradition and an unrelenting desire to transcend it.

Born into a family of artists in Sri Lanka, Thevin was shaped by a legacy of creativity and resilience. His grandfather, Sri Lanka’s first film makeup artist, pioneered his craft with remarkable dedication, laying the foundation for a family deeply rooted in the arts. Though Thevin never met him, his grandfather Regie de Silva’strailblazing work ethic and passion for storytelling helped shape the family ethos, inspiring Thevin’s mother and, in turn, Thevin himself. Reggie was the first Sri Lankan makeup artist. He went to India for his studies in makeup artistry and was active during the era when B.A.W. Jayamanne and Rukmani Devi pioneered the Sri Lankan film industry.

Thevin’s mother, Kumudumali De Silva, a celebrated Best Supporting Actress winner two decades ago and recent Lifetime Achievement Award honoree for her contributions to the wedding industry, met his father, Nihal Gamage, while on set. Together, they transitioned from the entertainment industry to entrepreneurial success, founding a wedding photography and bridal dressing business. Their ventures flourished, even leading to the publication of their own wedding magazine, providing a middle-class life of success and recognition.

Despite these creative roots, societal expectations in Sri Lanka compelled Thevin to pursue academics. After excelling at the University of Toronto with a degree in Political Science, Economics, and Psychology, Thevin still yearned for storytelling. In his late twenties, after years of professional detours, he enrolled in film school and committed fully to his craft.

Operating outside the framework of traditional film production companies, Thevin embraced the challenges of independence. From conceptualization to execution, his debut film is a testament to his determination, ingenuity, and unwavering commitment to his vision. His journey as an independent filmmaker exemplifies the power of creative freedom to challenge norms and shape unique perspectives.

Thevin’s work invites audiences to question, reimagine, and ultimately transform their understanding of storytelling. His journey is not just one of artistic pursuit but an act of defiance—an effort to inspire others to embrace the power of the arts and forge paths beyond traditional norms.

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Top three at 40th Mrs World pageant

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Mrs World – South Africa: Tshego Gaelae (L) / First Runner-up – Sri Lanka: Ishadi Amanda (M) / Second Runner-up – Thailand: Ploy Panperm (R)

While South African model Tshego Gaelae becomes the first Black woman to win the Mrs. World title in its 40-year history, we, too, were in the spotlight, at the finals.

Ishadi Amanda took the No. 02 slot, being the first runner-up at the prestigious pageant, held in Las Vegas, USA, from 29-30 January, 2025.

Thailand’s Ploy Panperm was placed third, as the second runner-up.

Sri Lanka’s Ishadi had support from the audience when her name was announced as one of the three finalists.

The Mrs World pageant winner, from South Africa, expressed her thanks on Instagram, saying, “To God be the glory. Thank you so much for the love and support, I am beyond grateful and elated! My beautiful South Africa, the crown is coming home,” she shared with her followers, encapsulating her elation and gratitude.

The Mrs World pageant, established in 1984, stands as the first international beauty contest solely for married women, providing a platform for married contestants to showcase not just their beauty, but also their intellect and community outreach efforts.

Before being picked as the winner, Mrs South Africa was asked: “What is the biggest challenge you have faced and achieved?” And her answer was brilliant:

Rosy Senanayake: Mrs World 1984

“I was so stressed on social media. Social media people should use it to share knowledge and good things. But it’s used to stress people out. But I stood up for myself without that social media pressure. I used the same social media that stressed me out to share good thoughts and hope to get to the victorious place I am today.”

Gaelae’s success is a testament to the ideals celebrated by the pageant, where diversity and empowerment take centre stage.

Gaelae balances her roles as a devoted mother, wife, labour relations manager, and model.

Being the first black woman to clinch the title at the Mrs World pageant has ignited a sense of pride and celebration among South Africans.

The Mrs South Africa Organisation, which played a crucial role in supporting Gaelae’s remarkable journey, also expressed their pride through a statement: “From Soweto to Vegas and now the World, @mrsworldpageant The Crown is Coming Home! Thank you to everyone who supported our queen on her incredible Journey.”

Gaelae returned home to a triumphant celebration fit for a queen.

At the airport to welcome her were her family, friends, church community, the Mrs South African team board and alumni, and the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg.

The crowning of the 40th Mrs World winner

And, guess what? Gaelae is now in touch with me!

Second Runner-up Mrs Thailand Ploy Panperm is quoted as having said: “I believe that modern married women have the potential to excel in multiple roles – as wives, mothers and even as beauty queens – embodying intelligence, talent and beauty.”

For the record, it was our very own Rosy Senanayake who brought Sri Lanka fame at this pageant … being crowned Mrs World at the very first Mrs World pageant, in 1984.

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