SAN DIEGO, March 6, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WomanCare Global and strategic alliance partner, Evofem, celebrate International Women's Day by donating up to 50,000 Softcups in Africa as part of Project Dignity.
Under Project Dignity, with every box of Softcups purchased at participating retailers in the United States, a girl in Africa will receive a free reusable Softcup. It is expected that up to 50,000 Softcups will be distributed to girls and women with the goal to improve personal hygiene and keep more women and girls in school and work settings.
Sanitary protection is a basic and often unmet need in developing countries. Many girls and women resort to using old rags or leaves to absorb their menstrual flow, increasing their chances of reproductive tract infections. UNICEF estimates that one in 10 African girls miss school during menses and eventually drop out completely due to menstruation-related issues, and according to a report published in 2012, it is estimated that about half of adolescent girls in Kenyan slums have had sex with older men to pay for a range of basic items they cannot otherwise afford, including sanity pads.
"Project Dignity is a critical initiative for us in that it directly addresses the implications of inadequate period protection for girls in rural and remote areas of Africa. We will work hard to help girls and women address this unmet need and by extension have a tangible impact on improving their health and well-being and contributing to their education," said Saundra Pelletier, CEO of WomanCare Global and Evofem.
International Women's Day will be observed on March 8, and it is a day to celebrate economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women around the world.
About WomanCare Global
Meeting the vast unmet demand for family planning and enabling women to choose whether and when they'll have children requires investing in cost-effective, innovative approaches. WomanCare Global's mission is to provide access to reproductive health solutions for women and girls around the world. Leveraging our medical, social and commercial expertise, we have built a sustainable value chain that enables us to reliably deliver high-quality products and point of care services, resulting in more informed providers and more family planning options for women and girls. WomanCare Global is a global non-profit healthcare company focused on women's reproductive health and our model is to redirect financial surplus achieved from sales in developed countries to under-served markets to eliminate economic and geographic barriers and thereby increase impact. For more information, please visit womancareglobal.org
About Softcup®
Invented by a woman for women, Softcup® is a soft, non-irritating cup that captures menstrual flow effectively and can be washed and reused. It can be worn for 12 hours with no link to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). It is an effective and safe alternative to sanitary pads and tampons, and is made from a non-absorbent, non-irritating medical grade material that contains no latex, silicone or dioxins. Softcup is approved by the US FDA and more than 200 million Softcups have been distributed since the product was first introduced more than a decade ago. See more about Project Dignity at http://bit.ly/1hvo71T
About Evofem
Evofem LLC is a privately held bio-technology company that brings advanced prescription and consumer products to global markets. Through its subsidiaries, Evofem Inc. and Cosmederm Bioscience, Evofem discovers, develops and commercializes prescription and over-the-counter products, in the areas of contraception, dermatology, pain management, feminine care, and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.
References
1. Khanna, Annop, R.S. Goyal, Rahul Bhawasar, Menstrual Practices and Reproductive Problems, Journal of Health Management, 2005.
2. Mehrah, G., Girls' Drop-Out from Primary Schooling in the Middle East and North Africa: Challenges and Alternatives, Jodan: UNICEF, 1995
3. Njoroge, Lydiah, Freedom for Girls Program, http://www.voanews.com/content/in-nairobi-slu...59607.html , February 14, 2012.
Media Contact:
Ellen Thomas
VP, Corporate Communications
+1.718.490.3248
Ellen Thomas, VP Corporate Communications 1 (718) 490-3248
