Irise International
Emily
Wilson
Ceo
Mission
Our vision is a world where no one is held back by their period.
We deliver learning focused programmes and research in the UK and East Africa to support young people and their communities to address menstruation related barriers- working on issues young people tell us are ways that their periods hold them back.
We champion innovative approaches working with a wide range of partners and aim to disseminate learning and transition successful programmes to partners who can support long-term delivery.
We use our learning and research to advocate for policy and practice change
Category
Health
Additional Information
To date we’ve directly supported over 100,000 girls to stay happy and healthy during their periods and are working with academic partners, including the University of Leeds and London School of Tropical Medicine, to build networks of practitioners and researchers collaborating to produce an evidence base for this neglected issue.
In east Africa:
• Estimate that over half of girls are using improvised materials ranging from rags to corn husks and banana leaves and missing school during their periods.
• Recent studies found that girls increased their attendance by 17% when they received menstrual products and education about menstruation. Girls who accessed products were less likely to have sexually transmitted infections, likely due to reduced pressure to engage in transactional sex.
• Three quarters of Ugandan girls believe it is harmful to run and dance during their period and the stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation were identified as a key barrier to sustainable and effective intervention.
• Our DFID funded project in Uganda is testing a menstruation friendly school package that builds the capacity of communities to support girls long term.
“The shame of blood leaking through your skirt, boys calling you names, sores and infections makes you hate being a healthy young woman”
Ugandan young woman to Irise about her experience of menstruation
Now I no longer get worried…I can be able to do everything, even playing, jumping and sitting in class.”
A Ugandan school girl receiving support from Irise
In the UK:
• Estimate 1 in 10 girls in the UK have been unable to afford pads and receive no preparation at all before their first period.
• 48% of UK girls say they are embarrassed by their period.
• Our pilot project found that creating a safe space for young people to access information about menstruation and puberty and explore their experiences improved their self-esteem.
• Evidence from other parts of the world suggests that pad provision alone is not enough and holistic interventions that provide sustainable access to education and dismantle stigma are required.
• Research is urgently needed to inform the response to period poverty in the UK
“I went on the internet to learn more about my period when I was nine because I didn’t know what it was. I used a help line to find out and they were rubbish!”
British school girl to Irise
“I learnt so much about my own body that I didn’t know”
Student taking part in Irise pilot project