To break taboos about menstruation and facilitation of female staff and students, the Government College University Lahore is going to install two vending machines on its main campus to provide females access to feminine hygiene products.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi and Wonder Women Pakistan founder Muhammad Uzair Masood on Monday signed an accord for the installation of the machines carrying feminine hygiene products including sanitary pads.

A large number of the University’s female students were also present at the MoU signing ceremony held at the GCU’s newly-established Women Development Center (WDC). The students highly appreciated the initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof. Zaidi said it is very unfortunate that women face a lot of stigmatization due to menstruation, something which is a simple biological phenomena and they showed by facilitated.

"With this initiative, the GCU Women Development Center (WDC) is not only taking a step towards facilitating and empowering its female students but is also fighting against stigma attached to talking about period hygiene," he said. 

He revealed that one vending machine would be installed at the WDC and other at a female restroom in Bukhari Auditorium by the Wonder Women Pakistan which would provide good quality products at very affordable price.

He said it is high time that we eliminate misinformation attached to menstruation through awareness and such initiatives and provide a comfortable environment to the ladies at workplaces and educational institutions.

Muhammad Uzair Masood of Wonder Women said that Pakistan has a very high ratio of period poverty as 79pc of women in the country lack access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or a combination of these.

He appreciated the vision of Vice Chancellor Prof. Zaidi, saying that Wonder Women had received a very overwhelming response from GCU and both institutions agreed to jointly fight stigmas attached to period hygiene," he said. 

GCU Women Development Center Incharge Ms. Sumera Khalil said that this initiative is a breath of fresh air for thousands of female students of GCU who understand the pain of going up to random stranger females asking for a sanitary napkin during their period cycles.

Earlier, GCU Clinical Psychology and Fountain House Lahore signed MoU for research and academic collaboration. Vice Chancellor Prof. Zaidi and Medical Superintendent Dr. Syed Imran Murtaza signed the accord for placements of GCU clinical psychology students at Fountain House Lahore.