Continental Webinar to Champion Menstrual Dignity and Expand Gender-Responsive WASH Infrastructure Across Africa

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May 28, 2026

MEDIA ADVISORY

Continental Webinar to Champion Menstrual Dignity and Expand Gender-Responsive WASH Infrastructure Across Africa

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

WHAT: A High-Level Continental Technical Webinar commemorating Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026. Held under the continental theme, "Dignity in Every Flow: Advancing Gender-Responsive WASH for Africa’s Future," and aligning with the global movement #PeriodFriendlyWorld, this strategic event will address the intersections of menstrual health, policy, and infrastructure development across the continent.
WHEN: Thursday, 28 May 2026 | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (EAT)
WHERE: Virtual Meeting via Zoom
WHO: The Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) of the African Union Commission, in collaboration with the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE) under the Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) Department will host a continental webinar with Civil Society Partners, Sustainable WASH Experts, and Youth Health Ambassadors.

OBJECTIVES :

Strategic Policy Alignment: Anchor the 2026 Menstrual Hygiene Day commemoration into the AU Theme of the Year ("Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063"), treating menstrual health as a foundational requirement for climate resilience and socio-economic empowerment.
Workplace & Institutional Advocacy: Disseminate institutional objectives to normalize menstruation, smash societal taboos, and ensure privacy-focused standards of cleanliness and water access.
Mobilizing Multi-Sector Partnerships: Convene policymakers, leaders, and civil society networks to scale up access to sustainable, affordable menstrual hygiene products and advance cross-continental "period-friendly" infrastructure.

BACKGROUND:

Across the continent, structural gaps in menstrual hygiene management continue to disrupt both education and economic productivity, with an estimated one in ten adolescent girls missing school and millions of working women facing silent barriers to performance in the workplace. This widespread disparity directly compromises the human capital and economic development goals of Agenda 2063. To model a prosperous, equal Africa for its Member States, the African Union Commission is leading by example, addressing the systemic shame, lack of period education, and infrastructure gaps that impede female health, dignity, and professional productivity at all stages of life.

This webinar functions as the anchor advocacy forum for the 2026 campaign, elevating menstrual dignity from a private conversation into a formalized, data-backed institutional priority that directly supports Agenda 2063.

JOURNALISTS ARE INVITED TO COVER THE WEBINAR

Registration Link : Inscription à la réunion - Zoom (Simultaneous interpretation will be provided)

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer, Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africanunion.org

Ms. Adele Onguene Atangana | Communications Associate, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: AtanganaA@AfricanUnion.org