Participants will be empowered with Menstrual Hygiene and Reproductive Health Education as well as Menstrual Hygiene Kits sponsored by Kotex Malaysia
Kuching, 29 January 2024 – In a landmark partnership, Kotex Malaysia today announced that it will be joining forces with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development on its KASIH Remaja: Sihat & Selamat program to tackle period stigma and empower teen girls across Malaysia.
The three-year initiative aims to reach 600,000 girls aged 13 to 17 with comprehensive menstrual hygiene and reproductive health education, breaking down taboos and fostering resilient well-being.
The initiative will be supported by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) and the National Welfare Foundation (YKN).
Breaking the Silence, Building the Future
YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Binti Shukri, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, emphasized the significance of the partnership. “Empowering girls with access to proper menstrual hygiene tools is not just about sanitation and products. This is a matter of dignity, confidence, and unlocking their full potential. Hence, through this partnership, we seek to empower our teen girls with Menstrual Hygiene and Reproductive Health education. This initiative complements the work my Ministry has been leading through the KASIH Remaja: Sihat & Selamat program which encompasses advocacy on anti-sexual harassment, child rights and more. Ultimately, our goal is to build a generation of resilient young girls and we welcome private sector partnerships to extend these efforts. This collaboration with Kotex marks a crucial step towards creating a generation of girls who are uninhibited by period stigma and ready to lead.”
Knowledge is Power. Period.
Echoing the sentiment, Lim Yu Chien, Managing Director at Kimberly-Clark Malaysia said, “At Kotex, we firmly believe that Period or Not, She Can. This means that every girl deserves to experience her period with confidence. To do so, she needs to be equipped with the knowledge and products to manage her period. We are not only providing essential resources, education and products through the Kotex She Can Project, but we are also fostering open conversations about menstruation to create a society where period stigma has no place. We thank the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development for allowing us to partner with them on this critical cause for the future generation of Malaysia.”
Equipping and Educating for Positive Change
The Kotex She Can Project education module will focus on a wide breadth of topics from puberty to period cycle, reproductive system, body rights and more. The educational material is culturally appropriate and will be distributed together with the Kotex Confidence Kit, a menstrual hygiene kit which comprises of Kotex Soft and Smooth sanitary pads as well as Kotex Daily Fresh unscented pantyliners.
By reaching 600,000 girls over the next three years, the partnership will empower a generation of informed young women who will become agents of change that will challenge societal taboos surrounding period for a more inclusive environment.
“We look forward to the future where period stigma is just a forgotten relic of the past. Kotex has strong legacy in Malaysia, having served Malaysians for 100 years now. Further, our Kotex Soft and Smooth pads are locally manufactured in our factory in Johor that is operated 100% by Malaysians. With such deep roots and history in the country, the mission to empower Malaysian women is just so much more meaningful to us. Kotex has a much bigger role to play beyond just selling sanitary napkins and believe us because we are here to deliver positive and lasting impact,” concluded Lim.
Lim was speaking at the launch ceremony of the partnership between Program KASIH Remaja: Sihat & Selamat and Kotex She Can Project that was held in Kuching. The initiative was officiated by YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Binti Shukri, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.
To learn more about this initiative and join the fight against period stigma, please visit kotex.com.my or look for us on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok.
