Minister, Flemming Moeller Mortensen, visited Real Relief to talk about why girls' education plays a significant role in fighting poverty

Kolding, Denmark, 26 August 2021

Minister visit

This week, the Minister for Development Cooperation and Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Flemming Moeller Mortensen, visited Real Relief to talk about opportunities and challenges and why girls' education plays a significant role in fighting poverty in the developing countries. High on the agenda were the topics Menstrual health and local production, and that it is important that we in Denmark keep focusing on the fight for equality, sexual and reproductive health, and rights to all worldwide.
 

Menstrual hygiene

UNICEF estimates that 1 in 10 girls miss school during their period. Ensuring safe and sustainable menstrual hygiene contributes to an overall health and well-being of girls and women around the world. Healthier populations and better educational outcomes are some of the benefits of investing in menstrual hygiene. Unfortunately, the increased interest in menstrual health during the recent years has not attracted funding to meet the current needs. Furthermore, the consequences of covid-19 require an increased and focused effort in this highly tabooed area, so that we do not leave behind our girls in 3rd world countries.

Creating local jobs and sustainable communities

Having the opportunity to earn your own money and thus not being dependent on the husband's income strengthen not only the woman, but also the society. Wherever possible, we must focus on technology transfer and local production, so that we bring innovative solutions into play and help people out of unemployment.

Thanks

Real Relief thanks the Minister for the visit and for his empathy and constructive feedback.

We thank Eva Kjer Hansen for her commitment and support

Thanks to the Danish Consulate General in New York for participating.