UDHAMPUR: FICCI FLO Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh (JKL) on Friday successfully conducted a large-scale menstrual hygiene awareness programme at Army Public School, Udhampur, marked by the handover of 10,500 sanitary napkins to the Army Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA), Northern Command.
The initiative reaffirmed FLO JKL’s continued commitment to promoting adolescent health, dignity, and awareness among young girls.
The programme forms part of a nationwide initiative jointly undertaken by FICCI FLO and NIINE, under which 2.5 lakh sanitary napkins are being distributed across 21 FLO chapters in cities across India. The campaign aims to address menstrual hygiene as a critical component of health education, especially among adolescent girls.
The event was conducted under the leadership of Aarti Chowdhary, Chairperson, FICCI FLO JKL, in collaboration with AWWA, under the guidance of Shinei Sharma, Regional President, AWWA, Northern Command. The partnership reflects a shared vision of creating structured and impactful outreach programmes to address sensitive yet essential health issues affecting school-going girls.
Highlighting the importance of menstrual hygiene awareness during adolescence, speakers emphasised that correct information helps dispel myths and social taboos, encourages healthy practices, and prevents health complications. Such awareness, they noted, builds confidence and ensures that menstruation does not become a barrier to education or overall well-being.
The awareness drive reached approximately 13,000 adolescent girls across 13 schools under the Northern Command. Expert sessions were conducted by Dr Nidhi Raina, Senior Consultant (Gynaecology), SMVD Narayana Hospital; Dr Palki Sharma, Dermatologist and Cosmetologist; and Kanupriya Garg, Ayurvedic Nutritionist. The experts provided holistic medical, dermatological, and nutritional guidance on menstrual health management through interactive and informative sessions.
The programme was attended by Rupali Suneja, Chairperson, Education Committee; Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Principal, Army Public School Udhampur; and Col Ashok, whose presence further strengthened the initiative.
FICCI FLO JKL was represented by Varsha Bansal, Varuna Anand, Sona Mehta, Nandita Bajaj, and Shipra Aggarwal, reiterating the chapter’s collective commitment to promoting awareness, accessibility, and dignity for adolescent girls through sustained social interventions.
