Introduction
#NoChutti and #NoChuttiPlus are Pakistani campaigns seeking to raise awareness of menstrual health among adolescent girls and young women.
#NoChutti
Overview
Background
Led by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the #NoChutti campaign was launched in Lahore, Pakistan on July 2018. Through raising awareness of menstrual health in Pakistan, the #NoChutti campaign seeks to:
- Empower Pakistani adolescent girls and young women to feel strong while experiencing periods.
- Counter the stigma and social taboos associated with menstrual health in Pakistan.
- Create supportive school environments to reduce absenteeism from school due to menstrual health.
- Counter cultural myths related to physical and dietary restrictions imposed on menstruating adolescent girls and young women.
- Improve adolescent girls and young women’ access to knowledge, tools and facilities to manage their own menstrual hygiene. Source
Meaning ‘No Break’ or ‘No Holiday’ in Urdu, the ‘No Chutti’ campaign makes heavy use of social media and influencers to increase the reach of its messaging. Marketing collateral for #NoChutti campaign largely focuses on positive messaging, and places emphasis on the empowerment of adolescent girls and young women.
#NoChutti launch
The official #NoChutti launch event was held alongside the 17th Young Leaders Conference, in Lahore, Pakistan on July 2018. The even was attended by over 300 adolescent girls and boys, and included presentations from leading religious scholars, female athletes, entrepreneur, medical practitioners and young leaders. Source
“For UNICEF, having this kind of youth engagement with both boys and girls on a topic as sensitive as important is vital. We hope that it will becomes a topic of discussion within all tiers of society. It is a matter that concerns not just women and girls, but affects everyone.”
– UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Kitka Goyol [Source: UNICEF]
Influencer marketing: Use of the UNICEF Pakistan Menstrual Champions
For Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 2017, UNICEF introduced its UNICEF Pakistan Menstrual Champions, consisting of three prominent female Pakistani athletes (Pakistan women’s football captain Hajra Khan, Pakistan women’s basketball captain Sana Mahmud, and Pakistan Olympic swimmer Kiran Khan Swimmer). Source
Instagram Live sessions
During the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the three champions appeared in #NoChutti messaging, and co-hosted a series of Instagram Live sessions on ways to handle periods in pandemics (#PeriodsInPandemics).
Launch of #NoChuttiPlus
On Menstrual Hygiene Day, 24 May 2022, UNICEF and Pakistani sanitary company Santex, in collaboration with the Government of Sindh School Education & Literacy Department, launched an extension of the #NoChutti campaign, called #NoChuttiPlus. The campaign largely shares the original goals of the #NoChutti campaign, primarily seeking to “address the high prevalence of menstrual health and hygiene challenges amongst adolescent girls in Pakistan.” Source.
The campaign makes frequent mention of “Period Poverty”, a term used to describe how lack of access to menstrual products, facilities, and education can cause physical, mental, and emotional hardship for women. Source
Marketing and design agency
Implementation and funding
Results
Collateral examples
Social media post examples
Storytelling is a powerful tool that can inspire change and transform lives! ✨️
— AzCorp Comics (@AzCorpComics) May 24, 2022
We are grateful to @FouziaDr for highlighting our work at the launch event of #NoChuttiPlus held by @Santex_Products & @UNICEF to promote menstrual health & hygiene awareness among young girls. pic.twitter.com/ZqY4Y04o0V
Government of Sindh #SchoolEducation Department announced the launch of "#No_chutti_Plus_campaign organized event in collaboration with #UNICEF & #SantexProducts (Pvt) Ltd addressed high prevalence of Menstrual Health and Hygiene challenges amongst adolescent girls of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/FZuU3hU6ph
— Sindh School Education (@SELD_Sindh) May 25, 2022
Delighted to partner with UNICEF #UNICEF and Santex Products (Pvt.) Limited to launch #NoChuttiPlus, an awareness campaign about menstrual health & hygiene for adolescent girls.
— Sidra Iqbal (@SidraIqbal) May 26, 2022
Lack of adequate washroom facilities in school, tedious commute and unavail…https://t.co/wRHzFPnoye
Despite all the obstacles in the field of sports, there are some women that just don’t give up. @sanamahmud is a Pakistani Sportswoman and a UNICEF Pakistan champion for #NoChutti campaign fighting for the education on #MHM of women across #Pakistan.#GenUnlimited #Wethefuture pic.twitter.com/z08mRSyMoH
— GenUnlimitedpk (@GUnlimitedpk) October 17, 2018
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