World Health Summit side event on menstrual product safety
The event will present sustainable menstrual health solutions.
© Cewas
In the run-up to the upcoming World Health summit, the Gates Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund’s Capital M, and Siemens Stiftung host a side event on women’s health risks and menstrual product safety on October 10 in Berlin.
The side event will showcase pre-findings of the research project on impact of metals in menstrual products on women’s health in 20 countries by Columbia University – building on the 2024 study results of tested menstrual products in the US and EU/UK.
The keynote is followed by presentations of three good practices that demonstrate actionable and scalable solutions, including safer, more environmental-friendly product design through collaboration with the private sector like start-ups and social enterprises, stronger policy frameworks, and access to information.
The side event builds on the Gates Foundation’s new $2.5 billion funding pledge for women’s health, Siemens Stiftung’s new focus on supporting Female Health and Hygiene, and GIZ’s Gender Strategy 2025-2029.
Opening Remarks & Keynote
- Welcome remarks by Randa Kourieh (Head of the GIZ Representative Office in Berlin)
Opening remarks by Jonas Restle-Steinert (Head of Social Innovation Hub, Siemens Stiftung), and Dr. Ru-fong Joanne Cheng (Director Women’s Health Innovations, Gates Foundation)
- Keynote: “Invisible Toxins: From Evidence to Action on Heavy Metals in Menstrual Products”by Dr. Kathrin Schilling (Assistant Professor, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health)
Short inputs on joint solutions
- ISO standard development process: Menstrual Products by Adrian Dongus (MH Market Specialist, The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund) and Rockyatou Ndiaw (Chef de Programme Normalisation, Association Sénégalaise de Normalisation)
- PlantPad Consortium x PANORAMA Solutions for a Healthy Planet by Manu Prakash (Associate Professor, Stanford University School of Engineering) and Fabien Matthias (Co-Founder & CEO, NIDISI gGmbH)
- Building the supply side: Supporting and Accelerating Female Health and Hygiene Enterprises by Dr. Latifatu Mohammed (Founder, Kodu Technology, Ghana) and Amdiya Abdul Latiff (Founder, Eco-Me Africa, Ghana)
Moderation:
Katie Gallus
In collaboration with:
Agency for Business and Economic Development (AWE), Invest for Jobs, PlantPad Consortium, The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund / Capital M, FHHA by cewas, PANORAMA Solutions, The Case for Her, Sustainable Sanitation Alliance
You’ll also have the chance to explore innovative products and solutions from Berlin-based start-ups like VYLD – Ocean Saving.Period. – nookees – NIDISI.
Learn more about our work in Women’s Health & Social Entrepreneurship
Making a difference: Female Health & Hygiene Accelerator
The Female Health & Hygiene Accelerator (FHHA) is an innovative 18-month program launched by Siemens Stiftung in collaboration with Cewas, Seecon Impact, and other partners. The initiative aims to promote sustainable business models for women’s health and hygiene in Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana.
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