Category: Charity

‘Chain Of Niine’ To Shackle Period Taboo at the Niine Menstrual Awareness Conclave
High level panels featuring actress Shabana Azmi, Member of Parliament Meenakshi Lekhi, Avinash Kumar, Director Programme and Policy, WaterAid India, Dr Jennifer Butler Deputy Regional Director,United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and more voice their support for greater action against the period taboo.

Megastar Akshay Kumar turns rock star as he sings about Menstrual Hygiene Awareness and honours Pad Heroes from across India for their work.

Attendees pledge their support for the Chain of Niine and to be a part of the Pad Man Army to break the period taboo.

To mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day, megastar Akshay Kumar and a host of activists, politicians, advocates and national change-makers came together to launch the Niine Movement, an ambitious five-year plan aimed at tackling the taboos surrounding menstruation. With the announcement of the Chain of Niine at the inaugural Niine Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Conclave in New Delhi, India, the nation-wide movement aims to raise awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene across the country. The Menstrual Awareness Conclave saw renowned film personalities, academics, policymakers, government officials, activists, medical experts, business stalwarts, NGOs, and thought-leaders, convene to discuss the impact that stigma and taboos have had on menstruation, and which have held girls and women back for centuries from achieving their potential and living a life of respect and dignity. Supported by Television Partner and leading Hindi news channel News18 India, and online partner Firstpost, the Menstrual Awareness Conclave saw two keynote panels take place providing an essential platform for collaboration, innovation and cooperation as panelists discussed sustainable solutions for tackling menstrual issues across India.

Indian superstar Akshay Kumar, who’s most recent award winning film Pad Man tackled the issue of menstrual taboo, recently began his support of the Niine Movement with the launch of the nationwide campaign #18to82 to bridge the gap between the minority that are able to adopt hygienic practices and the large majority who are not able to make an informed choice in these matters.As one of India’s most respected and reputed social change and women’s empowerment advocates, Akshay Kumar took to the stage to interact with the audience, sharing never before heard experiences of his time filming Pad Man and explaining why he was so compelled to not only star but produce a film on periods.In one of the most memorable moments of the conclave, he also performed a rock anthem about menstrual hygiene entitled ‘Let’s Talk About Periods’, which encapsulated the enclave’s strong message on breaking the menstrual taboo and starting a discussion around.

As part of the Niine Movement’s commitment to educate and raise awareness of menstruation across all genders and age groups, Akshay Kumar also spotlighted the work of menstrual hygiene champions – Pad Heroes – from across India. These Pad Heroes from a variety of backgrounds shared their extraordinary efforts to improve menstrual hygiene awareness in their local communities, and were presented with 5 Lacs by Akshay Kumar on behalf of the Niine Movement to support their continuing work.Speaking about his support of the Menstrual Awareness Conclave, Akshay Kumar earlier said: “The Niine Menstrual Awareness Conclave is a crucial assembly of minds, influencers and menstrual awareness champions – convening under one roof with the common goal of tackling the urgent issues, taboos and stigmas associated with menstrual health and hygiene. We, as a collective society, can only implement change once we initiate discussion, and the conclave on International Menstrual Hygiene Day is a fitting platform for us to truly empower a nation of women. Together we can ensure that every woman and girl has the right to manage her period safely and with dignity.”The Menstrual Awareness Conclave also featured two high-level panels engaging prominent and expert panellists. The first panel was Chaired and Moderated by Poonam Muttreja, the Executive Director of the Population Foundation of India (PFI), which has been at the forefront of policy advocacy and research on gender, population, health and development issues in India. With taboos surrounding menstruation preventing women and girls from achieving empowerment, respect and dignity for centuries, the first panel delved deep into the socially constructed origin of the menstrual stigma and the physical impact this can have on girls and women, in particular reproductive and urinary tract infections. If neglected, these infections can have long term consequences including increased vulnerability to other infections and in extreme cases can leave women vulnerable to infertility.Poonam Muttreja spoke to eminent panellists focusing on the importance of menstrual hygiene management awareness and practice and the work already being conducted on ground to tackle the issues and address the barriers. Some of the panelists included film actor and women’s rights activist Shabana Azmi, Avinash Kumar, Director Programme and Policy, WaterAid India, an NGO which aims to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people by improving access to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services, Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Representative, UN Women India MCO, Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from New Delhi Constituency, BJP National Spokeswoman, Supreme Court lawyer and socio-political activist and Dr. Jaideep Malhotra, President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI).Voicing her support to the Niine Movement, and calling for a nationwide action, Shabana Azmi said: “In a country where 70% women suffer reproductive illness due to unhygienic methods of handling menstruation, not only free-pads distribution but, a series of efforts taken on the individual and community level can only help uprooting the cause. It requires a change in mind-set, breaking of taboos surrounding menstruation talks and creating platforms for more open conversations through workshops and awareness programmes. There is also a need to offer encouragement to social entrepreneurs working towards menstruation issues.”

Agreeing with Shabana Azmi, Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament also emphasised the need to approach the societal issue with a scientific lens, and said: “Issues around menstruation are not really related to patriarchy but deals with a mindset and that needs to be changed in a scientific way. We should rather focus on usages of organic and biodegradable pads than simply using a random pad made of plastic which eventually will harm our eco-system and food chain. Scientific and eco-friendly methods of making pads should be encouraged.”According to UNESCO, 20% of girls drop out of school upon reaching puberty the second, most common cause of absenteeism after household work. The second panel will focus on the safety and security of girls after they reach puberty in the school environment, an important concern for girls and their families that needs to be addressed in building a healthy ecosystem in which girls and women feel empowered to make healthy choices with respect to menstruation.Chaired and Moderated by activist and the Regional Coordinator, India of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Shivani Wazir Pasrich, the panel featured educationists and menstrual hygiene management experts to discuss the challenges within the education sector, which included the need for separate toilets for boys and girls with access to clean water, and the importance of advocating for better menstrual health practices at schools. The panelists included Dr Bindu Rana, CEO and Founder of Millennium Education Management, the largest education company in India, veteran educationist Lata Vaidyanathan, Director, TERI Prakriti School, woman empowerment champion Raseel Gujral and Dr. Jennifer Butler, Deputy Regional Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Asia Pacific and OIC UNFPA India and Bhutan. UNFPA has been assisting the Government of India in addressing adolescent health concerns, improving access to life skills education and health services, strengthening delivery of SRH services and advancing reproductive health and rights and preventing gender discrimination and harmful practices.The Niine Movement and Niine Menstrual Awareness Conclave were conceived by social entrepreneur Amar Tulsiyan. Speaking about the launch, founder Amar Tulsiyan said: “Niine signifies the Nine months of beautiful journey towards motherhood which can only take off after periods. Menstruation is a divine boon of nature which should be celebrated and not be ashamed of. This is where the core philosophy of the campaign rests upon. “ With regards to the taboo surrounding menstruation, he added: “Menstrual hygiene awareness is an issue that is severely under-represented in this country, as demonstrated by the amount of women who still do not use proper menstrual hygiene products to manage their periods. Even amongst the 18%, they lack awareness of the importance of using clean sanitary napkins and not to reuse the product, which is why as part of our theory of change, we need to enrol existing menstrual hygiene product users and those who don’t in a supportive, taboo free environment to create an open forum for discussion and deliberation. With Niine’s Menstrual Awareness Conclave, I am hopeful that we can inspire and motivate everyone to support the cause as I believe that we can all make a difference and break the taboo around menstruation by talking, educating and collaborating. That’s what the Niine Movement is all about. ”

The Niine Movement is supported by Jagran Pehal and Radio City.For further information on the Niine Movement or to join, log onto www.niine.com
28th May 2018
“WhatlReallyReallyWant” – The Film Takes the Power of Girl and Women Global.

20 years on, a remake of the Spice Girls’ Wannabe video, featuring artists from India, Nigeria, South Africa, UK, USA and Canada, tells world leaders what girls and women really really want in 2016 to achieve the Global Goals

• Project Everyone, in partnership with Getty Images and SAWA, the global cinema advertising association, release a new film “#WhatlReallyReallyWant” as part of the Global Goals campaign for girls and women.

• MJ Delaney of Moxie Pictures directs remake of the Spice Girls’ Wannabe’ video, featuring artists from around the world including Gigi Lamayne and Moneoa from South Africa, Seyi Shay from Nigeria, Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez from Sri Lanka, M.0 from the UK, Taylor Hatala from Canada and Larsen Thompson from the USA.

In September 2016, World Leaders will mark the first anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. These Global Goals are a mighty plan to end poverty, fix climate change and address inequalities over the next 15 years, but they will only succeed if they address the needs of the most marginalised first, particularly those of girls and women. Issues like quality education, an end to violence, an end to child marriage and equal pay for equal work need to be top of every governments’ agenda in order to give the Goals the best possible start.

Project Everyone, with partners from across the world, have convened the first Global Goals campaign to fight for Goals which are famous, financed and focused on girls and women. This week, on the 20th anniversary of the release of the Spice Girls’ Wannabe video, the campaign will mark twenty years of Girl Power with an updated version “#WhatlReallyReallyWant”. The film reflects the voices of girls and women all over the world telling world leaders what Goals they ‘really really want’ to be achieved to help improve their lives.

Speaking about the launch of the film, MJ Delaney, Director, said ‘This is about modern day Girl Power: The Spice Girls were about a group of different women joining together and being stronger through that bond, and these differences are what we want to celebrate in this film, while showing there are some universal things that all girls, everywhere, really really want.’

Victoria Beckham said, ‘I think this film is a wonderful idea. How fabulous it is that after 20 years, the legacy of the Spice Girls’ – ‘Girl Power’ – is being used to encourage and empower a whole new generation.’

Richard Curtis, Writer, Director, Comic Relief Co-Founder & SDG Advocate said: ‘Last year the UN, Project Everyone and many partners launched a mass awareness-raising campaign reaching 3 billion people in just 7 days with news of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This year we’re keeping up the noise and going deeper – fighting for 15 decisive years – trying to show how the Goals contain the answers to the world’s problems, from the refugee crisis to disease, humanitarian disasters to terrorism and war. And especially focusing on the incredible importance of progress in the area of girls and women – Global Goals for Global Girls.’

Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez, originally from Sri Lanka said: ‘Gender discrimination has to stop and the global community has to start putting girls first. We need to create a community where girls feel strong, safe and supported and have equal access to education, technology, health and sanitation. What I really, really want is for people to recognize the potential of girls when they are allowed to study instead of doing household chores. And what I really, really want is to end violence against women. I want women to feel powerful and beautiful. Nothing can stop us once we are given equal opportunities and are allowed to flourish in a secure, supportive environment. The world needs a dose of girl power and that’s why I’m supporting the Global Goals campaign for girls and women.’

The film will be screened in SAWA member cinemas internationally between July and September 2016, distributed globally through Unique Digital, and will form part of a social media campaign calling on people to share a picture of #WhatlReallyReallyWant for girls and women. The visual responses from around the world will be presented to world leaders at the UN General Assembly in September to encourage new political and financial commitments from governments, in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The film #WhatlReallyReallyWant is online on Global Goals’ official YouTube channel. To access the YouTube link, click here >

The film will be shown in SAWA member cinemas internationally later in July. ENDS For further information, please contact:

5th July 2016
END7’S HOW TO SHOCK A CELEBRITY VIDEO RECEIVES OVER 7 MILLION VIEWS!

In a hard-hitting video, celebrities from around the world call for support in the global effort to control and eliminate seven diseases that plague more than 1 billion people around the world, including 500 million children. In the video, international actors and musicians witness the devastation neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause and encourage their fans to be part of the solution. The video is part of theEND7 campaign, a public awareness initiative dedicated to controlling and eliminating the seven most prevalent NTDs by 2020.

Emily Blunt (“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” “Devil Wears Prada”); Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”, “Les Miserables”, “My Week with Marilyn”); Tom Felton (“Harry Potter” series); Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South African pop star); Tom Hollander (“Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Pride and Prejudice”); and Priyanka Chopra (leading Bollywood actress and international recording artist) are featured in the video. These celebrities join a growing cast of supporters including Katy Perry, Ewan McGregor, Alyssa Milano, Norah Jones, Rosanna Cash, Paula Abdul and Stella McCartney to help raise public awareness about NTDs.

“NTDs are tied to nearly every major development issue today, including childhood nutrition, maternal/child health and water and sanitation” said actor Eddie Redmayne. “For example, washing with contaminated water can lead to blinding diseases such as Trachoma, which is particularly infectious amongst young children. 50 pence/cents is all it takes to treat and protect one child a year from having to live with this painful disease. Be a part of something big: Together we can see the end of seven NTDs in just seven years.”

END7 is the first global public awareness campaign dedicated to NTD control and elimination and relies heavily on individuals spreading the word and getting involved through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It aims to raise the public awareness and funding required to cover the cost of distributing medicine and setting up treatment programs for NTDs. END7 is encouraging supporters to sign a pledge to inspire global policy leaders and philanthropists to take action and help end these diseases by 2020.

It costs approximately 50 cents/pence to treat one person against the seven most common NTDs for an entire year. Pharmaceutical companies have donated billions of pills to treat these diseases and many programs use existing infrastructure, such as schools and community centers, as distribution points, making NTD treatment one of most cost-effective public health initiatives available today.

“In India alone, nearly 700 million people are at risk for elephantiasis and more than 200 million children are at risk for worm infections,” said Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra. “Through the END7 campaign, we can offer a solution that will change the lives of millions of people living in poverty in Asia and around the world. I am proud to be a part of the global effort to end these diseases.”

The seven most common NTDs—hookworm, ascariasis (roundworm), trichuriasis (whipworm), schistosomiasis (snail fever), lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness) and trachoma—infect more than one in six people worldwide, including more than 500 million children. They cause blindness, massive swelling in appendages and limbs, severe malnutrition and anaemia. NTDs prevent children from growing and learning. They reduce adults’ economic productivity and ability to care for their families, keeping communities trapped in a cycle of poverty and disease.

“We are building a movement that allows nearly everyone to play a part in making these diseases history,” said Dr. Neeraj Mistry, managing director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases. “Since last January’s London Declaration we have seen a significant increase in support for NTD control and elimination among global leaders. What we need now is for the general public to get involved in our cause.”

The END7 campaign was launched in 2012 by the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. Wunderman UK leads the creative direction for the campaign, which includes this latest video along with the campaign’s website, Facebook hub and previously released “Mission in a Minute” video.

To watch the video, entitled END7: How to Shock a Celebrity, and learn more about the END7 campaign, visit www.end7.org.

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2nd December 2015
Stars Shine for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s Annual Collars & Coats Gala Ball

The visual spectacle that is Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s once again wowed the world last night with the return of the Collars & Coats Gala Ball at the iconic Battersea Evolution in London.

Celebrating its seventh successful year, the high-profile event is a highlight of the autumn social calendar, and is consistently regarded as one of the most unique and eagerly anticipated charity events.

The annual charity extravaganza saw a host of UK and international stars take to the red carpet for this worthwhile cause to raise vital funds for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s work in rescuing and re-homing abandoned dogs. This year’s star line-up, from the world of TV, music, film, sport and fashion, included: Battersea Ambassador Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Hilary Devey, Craig Revel-Horwood, Anthony Head, Nicky Clarke, Kelly Simpkin, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Dr Christian Jessen, Rosie Marcel, Sue Barker, photographer Rankin, and Debbie Sledge of the iconic music group Sister Sledge.

The theme of the event this year was ‘Transformation’ to celebrate Battersea’s ability to transform dog’s lives, whilst its London site itself transforms with the construction of new facilities for its animals. Making a very welcome return was the popular ‘Battersea Doggie Guard Of Honour’ – a red-carpet parade of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s pooches.

Other highlights of this year’s event included an eclectic performance by music legend and Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry as well as a performance by classical cross-over singer Camilla Kerslake. Battersea ambassadors and supporters including Dr Christian Jessen, Anthony Head and Dame Jacqueline Wilson united on stage to highlight the work and achievements of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

High profile guests and celebrities also enjoyed the opportunity to bid for an array of money can’t buy experiences at the event’s exclusive auction.

Speaking about the return of the gala, Claire Horton, Battersea’s Chief Executive said: “The Collars & Coats Gala Ball was a truly unique event, celebrating our animals and raising money to care for the 9,000 dogs and cats that come through our gates, abandoned and terrified each year. Once again, we’re thrilled that so many supporters and friends of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home gave so generously of their time to make the event so successful.’’

This year’s Collars & Coats Gala Ball was proudly sponsored by Henry Wiltshire International, a leading estate agent in London who works across local, national and international markets delivering unrivalled customer service through the commitment of its team. With two offices in London (Nine Elms and Canary Wharf) Henry Wiltshire International provide expert Sales, Lettings and Property Management services both locally and to their international clientele through their offices based in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and Singapore. Speaking about the partnership with the Home, Kelly Gallagher, Director of Henry Wiltshire International said: ‘It was a pleasure for Henry Wiltshire International to support such a worthwhile and important event and help raise money for a fantastic cause.’

The Collars & Coats VIP area, an exclusive area for VIPs and celebrity guests was sponsored by Battersea Power Station Development Company. They said: ‘On behalf of the Battersea Power Station shareholders, Battersea Power Station Development Company was delighted to support our neighbour with this incredible charity event.’

It costs Battersea over £10m to care for its dogs and cats every year, and with no government funding, the Collars & Coats Gala Ball is all about helping to increase awareness of the important work the charity does each and every day of the year to offer a second chance in life to thousands of animals. Last year nearly 9,000 dogs and cats needed Battersea’s care and attention to help find them the best possible new homes.

For further information on Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and to pledge donations, please visit www.battersea.org.uk or call 0207 627 7883.

2nd December 2015

Category: Charity

‘Chain Of Niine’ To Shackle Period Taboo at the Niine Menstrual Awareness Conclave

“WhatlReallyReallyWant” – The Film Takes the Power of Girl and Women Global.

END7’S HOW TO SHOCK A CELEBRITY VIDEO RECEIVES OVER 7 MILLION VIEWS!

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Stars Shine for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s Annual Collars & Coats Gala Ball