Sunita Marshall calls for boys to learn about menstruation alongside girls

“Just as you inform your daughter at a certain age, you should inform your son at the same age. They ought to know what a woman or a girl goes through during that period of time,” she said.

She said early education could shape the men boys eventually become, particularly in their roles within families. “Your son is also going to grow up to become a father; he is someone's brother, and he will become someone's husband.

When they are educated about this, empathy will automatically be created within them,” Sunita said. Speaking about the importance of men understanding premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and the changes women can experience around their periods, Sunita said greater awareness could help families respond with more understanding.

“During periods, women experience PMS and mood swings, and their patience levels drop significantly. Men need to understand what happens during that specific week. Women don't want a solution; they only want extra love and someone to listen to them at that time,” she said.

She said awareness should also translate into practical support at home, particularly when women are dealing with discomfort while continuing with their daily responsibilities. “First of all, our men need to get educated about this.

If it's your sister, mother, wife, or daughter, and you know she is on her period and unwell yet still working through it, empathy will make you get up and help her with the chores yourself,” Sunita said. Recalling an incident from a recent drama production, Sunita described a young co-star experiencing severe period pain on set.

“On the set of a recent drama, there was a young girl who suffered from severe cramps so severe that we had to halt shoots. She had to tell everyone, ‘I am on my period and I'm not feeling well,’” she said.

“What bothers me about that environment is why we should feel embarrassed or disgusted by it. It is a natural biological process,” she added. Sunita stressed that menstruation should not be associated with shame or embarrassment.

“Periods are very normal. It's a completely normal thing and a part of life, so you shouldn't feel embarrassed or ashamed about it,” she said. She said period and reproductive health education should become part of everyday conversations within households and include children of all genders.

“Educate all your children, both daughters and sons, so that empathy is fostered early on,” she said. She added that open conversations could eventually help dismantle the stigma surrounding menstruation. “When you open your mind up to this, it won't feel like an abnormal thing anymore.

Everyone will treat it as normal, as a natural biological process that we simply have to accept and support,” she said. Sunita began her career as a fashion model before moving into television. She has appeared in dramas including.

Mera Saaeinand. Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3. She is married to actor and director Hassan Ahmed, with whom she previously co-starred in.

Baby Baji. Her remarks, centred on education and empathy, frame menstrual health as a household issue rather than one concerning women alone