In celebration of International Women’s Day 2025, the H.E.R Foundation supported by Fems, strengthened its journey to help women overcome challenges they face in their lives by conducting Menstrual Health and Hygiene awareness sessions for female prison inmates across Sri Lanka.
The program undertaken throughout the month of March will reach approximately 250 female inmates across 06 correctional facilities, beginning with Bogambara Prison, followed by Agunakolapelessa, Negombo, Kuruwita, and Anuradhapura.
The endeavour also marks another milestone in Fems’ ongoing journey to redefine the narrative surrounding menstrual health in Sri Lanka and address critical issues through transformative change.
Sachini Gamage – Marketing Manager, Feminine Hygiene, Hemas Consumer Brands said, “Our commitment to fostering a more equitable and inclusive society for every woman remains unwavering, regardless of their circumstances. Through this awareness session program in prisons, we are supporting the dignity that comes with proper education and the care every woman deserves.”
Jagath Weerasinghe, Commissioner of Rehabilitation- Prison Department of Sri Lanka adding “Access to proper menstrual hygiene is a fundamental need that is often overlooked in correctional facilities. Since last year, Fems has been making monthly donations of sanitary napkins to the central prison system, ensuring that every female inmate in Sri Lanka receives the care and dignity they deserve. Additionally, these awareness sessions based on International Women’s Day add further value by providing essential education. This partnership helps bridge a critical gap in women’s health services within our system.”
The gap in menstrual health support in Sri Lanka extends beyond simple product access. It is a silent struggle affecting women’s dignity, education, and opportunities. For female inmates, the challenge is particularly acute. This initiative fights that inequity, ensuring that menstrual dignity is a right, not a privilege, for every woman, no matter her circumstances.
Fems, through H.E.R. Foundation, operates with an unwavering mission to address the obstacles women encounter daily around menstrual health & hygiene. Through a strategic framework built on the essential pillars of Help, Empower, and Rise, the Foundation implements targeted initiatives that create meaningful, lasting change in women’s experiences, opportunities, and self-perception.
It is also steadfast in demonstrating an unwavering year-round commitment to women’s empowerment that extends far beyond symbolic gestures on International Women’s Day.
Beyond material support, the initiative includes educational sessions where healthcare professionals address menstrual health questions directly from participants – a critical resource in an environment where women typically have restricted access to information and few opportunities to discuss these intimate health concerns.
This comprehensive approach acknowledges that women in correctional facilities face unique challenges in accessing both menstrual products and reliable health information, creating a supportive framework where their dignity and health needs are respected despite institutional limitations.
For more information about the H.E.R Foundation and to stay updated on their latest initiatives, visit their website at https://herfoundation.lk/ .
