UN Women in partnership with Acted and local community-based organization Nusaned and with support from the Government of Japan inaugurated the ‘Nasma*’ menstrual hygiene pad production facility in Beirut. UN Women and Acted supported Nusaned to launch this facility to address the growing need for affordable, high-quality menstrual hygiene products while empowering women with income-generating opportunities and fostering their voice and leadership. At the inauguration ceremony, His Excellency Masayuki Magoshi, Ambassador of Japan to Lebanon, highlighted the significance of this initiative: ‘Japan has been supporting the empowerment of women across Lebanon to help them play an active role in the society and to participate in the development and growth of the country’s economy. This successful project with UN Women and its partners falls under the scope of the Japanese Government’s response to the enhancement of women’s participation in the labor market and it supported the establishment of three menstrual hygiene pad production facilities across the country, which helped combat period poverty and employ hundreds of vulnerable women from various regions.’ The event was attended by the Ambassador of Japan to Lebanon, H.E. Masayuki Magoshi, President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), Claudine Aoun, UN Women Representative in Lebanon, Gielan Elmessiri, Country Director for Acted, Gaetane Wicquart, Executive Director of Nusaned, Ghaida Nawam, as well as representatives from embassies and the media. According to recent analysis undertaken by UN Women, 35 percent of Lebanese, migrant, and Palestinian refugee households face difficulties accessing menstrual hygiene items. Similarly, 30 percent of Syrian households, particularly female-headed households, reported challenges in accessing such products. ‘Through this facility and the two others we have established in Tripoli and Saida, UN Women, together with partners, is helping women to better face persistent structural challenges to decent jobs and economic independence,’ said Gielan Elmessiri, UN Women Representative in Lebanon. “The Japanese Government and people have been a strong supporter of UN Women’s programmes and have shown their commitment to promote the active engagement of women in society, to advance their sustainable and inclusive participation and leadership in the economic sector, and to meet humanitarian needs in Lebanon.” Executive Director of Nusaned, Ghaida Nawam said: ‘Nusaned’s mission is to empower vulnerable communities to become self-sustaining by providing them ongoing opportunities for productive economies. The Nasma initiative focuses on tackling the effects of period poverty on women’s independence and dignity. It serves as an excellent example of a women’s empowerment project, led and driven by women, for women. We take great pride in our partnership for this important cause.’ Gaetane Wicquart, Country Director for Acted Lebanon said: ‘ACTED is proud to incubate a social enterprise for local production in Beirut, by the women, for the women, at an affordable price. We are thrilled to announce this initiative as a testament to our collaborative endeavors, aiming to replicate the success of the pilot facility in Tripoli in 2022 as we expand these facilities across Lebanon.’ In 2022, UN Women, in collaboration with Acted and with the generous support of Japan launched the first pad production facility, the ‘Rose’ facility in Tripoli , building upon this success, two additional facilities were established, the ‘Nasma’ facility in Beirut and the ‘Moafem’ facility in Saida. Within the broader framework of this initiative, the three entities will produce over 800,000 affordable and quality menstrual pads to be distributed to vulnerable women and girls sold at affordable prices to women in local communities and provide 300 women with training and income-generating opportunities.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon