Millions of women are being let down by lack of support during and after menopause. We asked six, from Brazil to Bangladesh, to share their stories of fighting stigma, dealing with symptoms and supporting others
A revolution is stirring in Africa – and it’s being driven by women. Sick of the stigma that surrounds menopause and frustrated by the lack of information, and the disengagement from the medical profession, they are speaking up, setting up support groups, introducing workplace training, and even raising the issue in parliament.
Writing about this nascent movement in the Guardian, Zimbabwean Sue Mbaya, who hosts a menopause podcast, invites other women to add their voices to the growing calls for the menopause to be recognised and acknowledged as something with far-reaching consequences for women and for society around them.
Kika Lobo, a writer and influencer on women’s ageing, at her home in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. Photograph: Ana Ionova/the Guardian