Ideate shares research insights at event in Karachi on Menstrual Hygiene Day
Ideate Innovation
Karachi, SD (May 28, 2023): Ideate Innovation, a human-centered design and research firm, organized an event on "Designing for Menstrual Health Equity in Pakistan" to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day. The event took place at The Hive in Karachi, bringing together industry stakeholders as well as people who wanted to learn more and contribute towards the cause of improved menstrual health resources.
The event aimed to shed light on the importance of menstrual hygiene and to foster innovative solutions that improve menstrual health equity for women in Pakistan. Attendees engaged in insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking panel sessions.
Sehel Khandwala, Ideate's head of service design, hosted the event, ensuring a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere for the attendees. Joining Sehel on stage were Ideate Service Designers Ariba Rafi, Manahil Siddiqui and Sara Obaid, who shared their expertise and research findings. Core discussion points included general norms and perceptions about menstruation as well as selection of and budgeting for menstrual health products.
The event also shed a spotlight on Khair, Pakistan’s first ovulation and period tracking application. Founder and CEO Mahnoor Farishta shared her valuable insights and experiences, emphasizing the significance of technology in addressing menstrual health needs and empowering women across Pakistan.
Mahnoor had this to say after the event: “It was such an insightful design workshop with so many innovative approaches to combating menstrual equity! It really helped me think outside the box and explore ways in which we can expand Khair’s platform to empower women across Pakistan to take charge of their reproductive health.”
The event featured various activities aimed at promoting dialogue, innovation and actionable solutions. Following the presentations, attendees were divided into four groups with each group responsible for presenting solutions to different challenges associated with menstrual health. This allowed for meaningful and interactive exchange where participants could apply their own experiences and learnings to explore creative solutions.
Group 1 designed an app that would give women personalized period product recommendations and help them understand how to use it properly. Group 2 came up with an actual product that would help with blood flow and pain management through a heating device embedded in an underwear.
The third group came up with a social service that would increase awareness about menstruation within families so they would be able to better support the menstruating women in their households. The fourth group designed a cloth pad equipped with a button to open up all layers for easier cleaning and a special scented detergent that would make it smell nicer for longer.
Moreover, the event dedicated attention to developing effective communication collateral to raise awareness about hygienic methods of managing menstruation.The attendees explored ways to effectively disseminate essential information and empower women with knowledge and resources.
“Loved the time given to both presenting research and walking the participants through a co-creation workshop,” commented mobileLive Service Designer Marium Asif who was one of the participants. “Had a lot of fun experimenting and prototyping with people I’d never met before but shared the same pain points when it came to menstruation. The whole event was very interactive and insightful!”