Project PAKEEZAH, a flagship initiative of Agaaz International, is a community-led response to the urgent need for menstrual health awareness, sustainable hygiene solutions, and the dismantling of stigma surrounding menstruation in rural Kashmir. Through this program, Agaaz International addresses systemic gender inequality, improves health outcomes, fosters educational continuity, and empowers women as agents of change.
Tackling Gender Disparity through Menstrual Health Education
In many parts of rural Kashmir, menstruation remains cloaked in silence and shame. Social taboos, cultural myths, and limited access to reliable information result in girls missing school and women enduring avoidable health risks in isolation. PAKEEZAH directly challenges this by providing comprehensive menstrual health education to adolescent girls, young women, teachers, and community leaders.
These awareness sessions—conducted in schools, community halls, and grassroots institutions—equip individuals with accurate, culturally appropriate information on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health. The result is a tangible shift in attitudes and behavior, leading to increased school attendance among girls, greater dialogue within families, and enhanced community acceptance of menstruation as a normal biological function.
Improving Health through Access and Sustainability
A central focus of Project PAKEEZAH is the distribution of sustainable menstrual hygiene products, including reusable cloth pads and eco-friendly alternatives. These products are not only cost-effective and environmentally responsible but also safe and dignified, offering women a long-term solution to manage their periods hygienically.
By reducing reliance on commercially unavailable or unaffordable disposable products, the initiative addresses key health risks such as urinary tract infections, reproductive complications, and long-term gynecological issues, which are often exacerbated by the use of unhygienic materials in low-resource settings.
Dismantling Menstrual Stigma and Creating Safe Spaces
PAKEEZAH facilitates open dialogue around menstruation—an issue often considered taboo in conservative communities. Through storytelling sessions, interactive workshops, and peer education models, the initiative enables women and girls to share their experiences and collectively unlearn internalized shame.
This approach fosters safe spaces where menstruation is normalized, myths are dispelled, and conversations are met with empathy rather than silence. Men and boys are also engaged in select sessions to promote inclusivity and to encourage shared responsibility for menstrual health.
Empowering Women through Localized Production and Training
Under the leadership of Agaaz International’s founder and Jammu & Kashmir’s first menstrual health activist, Sheezan Rasool, PAKEEZAH has adopted a sustainable, community-driven model. Women are trained not only in menstrual health literacy but also in the production of reusable sanitary pads, thereby creating livelihood opportunities and encouraging self-sufficiency.
The initiative’s "train-the-trainer" model ensures scalability: trained women educators become community champions who replicate the model in their own networks—extending PAKEEZAH’s impact across multiple districts.
Responding to Crisis and Reaching the Most Vulnerable
Kashmir’s unique socio-political landscape, marked by frequent lockdowns and limited mobility, exacerbates the challenges associated with menstrual product accessibility. PAKEEZAH responds proactively during emergencies by distributing hygiene kits to those in conflict-affected areas, internally displaced populations, and institutional homes including orphanages and girls’ hostels.
In doing so, the project safeguards the menstrual dignity of women and girls during times of crisis, ensuring that their fundamental needs are not overlooked.
Impact and Way Forward
Since its inception, Project PAKEEZAH has reached thousands of women and girls across rural Kashmir. Hundreds of teachers have been trained to integrate menstrual health education into school curricula. Reusable products have been adopted at scale, resulting in lower absenteeism, improved health outcomes, and an emerging culture of menstrual equity.
As Agaaz International looks to expand the reach of PAKEEZAH, the vision remains clear: to create a world where menstruation is not a source of stigma but a marker of strength. Continued support—through donations, partnerships, and advocacy—will enable the project to scale its impact to the remotest and most underserved communities.