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As HerFlow Foundation celebrates a decade of advancing menstrual and reproductive health in Jamaica, the organisation will host a conference.

A two-day national reproductive-health conference designed to educate, empower and challenge the stigma surrounding conversations about the human body, puberty, menstruation and reproductive health.

The conference will take place October 23–24, 2026, at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) and is expected to bring together more than 1,500 participants, including approximately 1,000 students from secondary schools across Jamaica, along with parents, caregivers, educators, health professionals, advocates and other stakeholders.

Held under the theme “Educate. Empower. End Stigma,” the conference is being staged as part of HerFlow Foundation’s 10th-anniversary celebrations and represents the organisation’s evolution from its early focus on period poverty to a broader commitment to reproductive health across the life course.

From period poverty to a national reproductive-health conversation. Founded by award-winning activist and Sexual & Reproductive Health Specialist Shelly-Ann Weeks in 2016, HerFlow Foundation has spent the past decade taking reproductive-health education into schools and communities across Jamaica.

The organisation has distributed millions of menstrual products, conducted hundreds of educational workshops and advocated for menstrual health to be recognised as an issue of education, public health, dignity and national development.

That advocacy is increasingly reflected in national policy. In May 2026, the Government of Jamaica announced the National Menstrual Health Equity Initiative, a multi-sectoral partnership involving the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, HerFlow Foundation and UNICEF. The initiative’s pilot will reach approximately 2,000 girls in eight schools and integrate menstrual-health education with WASH improvements, HPV vaccination support, personal hygiene and HIV/STI prevention.

“Ten years ago, we started by asking a simple question: what happens when a girl cannot afford a pad?” said Shelly-Ann Weeks, Founder of HerFlow Foundation.

“Today, the question has become much bigger. What would Jamaica look like if every person could navigate reproductive health with accurate information, appropriate care and dignity throughout their lives? Conference. Period. is about having that conversation—and making sure young people, parents, educators, healthcare professionals and decision-makers are all part of it.”

Dr. Janice Johnson Dias to headline Day Two

One of the major highlights of the conference will be the participation of Dr. Janice Johnson Dias, Jamaican-born sociologist, scholar-activist and Founder and President of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation.

Dr. Johnson Dias, who is an Associate Professor of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has dedicated her work to developing research-informed solutions to challenges affecting women, girls, children and communities. She is also the mother of internationally recognised author and activist Marley Dias.

Her participation is especially significant to HerFlow’s 10th-anniversary programme. Dr. Johnson Dias was among the recipients of HerFlow’s inaugural Legacy of Care Award at Celebrate Her 2026, recognising her contribution to women, girls and community development.

At the conference, she will headline Day Two’s Parenting Fireside Chat, bringing her experience as a scholar, parent and community advocate to a conversation about raising informed, confident and healthy young people.

A conference designed for more than girls

Conference. Period. deliberately challenges the idea that reproductive health is a “girls’ issue.”

The programme will feature student panels involving girls and boys, parent and caregiver conversations, expert-led sessions and opportunities for young people to ask questions in safe, age-appropriate spaces.

The conference will also feature Dads Talk Periods, a dedicated conversation encouraging fathers and men to become more informed and comfortable discussing menstruation and reproductive health.

For HerFlow, inclusion is central to ending stigma.

“If we want to change the culture around reproductive health, we cannot continue talking only to the people experiencing the issue directly,” Weeks said. “Boys become brothers, friends, partners and fathers. Parents become advocates. Teachers become trusted adults. Employers become part of the environment in which women manage their health. Everyone has a role.”

Featured symposiums, panels and interactive experiences will combine expert education with interactive experiences designed to make reproductive-health learning engaging and memorable.

Featured programme elements will include:

• Expert-led reproductive-health symposiums addressing key issues affecting young people and families.
• Student panels giving girls and boys a platform to discuss their experiences, questions and perspectives.
• Parent and caregiver panels focused on practical ways to support children through puberty and Dads Talk Periods, encouraging men and fathers to become period-confident.
• Keynte Address and Parenting Fireside Chat with Dr. Janice Johnson Dias, focused on parenting, empowerment and raising healthy, confident young people.
• Consent education, delivered on Day One with support from the Jamaica Constabulary Force and creative presentations.
• Gender-based violence education, featured on Day Two to help young people understand safety, boundaries and healthy relationships.
• HPV education, helping students and parents understand prevention, vaccination and reproductive health.
• Period Store, providing an interactive opportunity to explore menstrual products and resources.
• Innovation challenges, encouraging students to develop creative solutions to reproductive-health challenges.
• Giveaways and youth engagement activities throughout the conference.
• Fitness and healthy-lifestyle activities, reinforcing the connection between physical wellbeing and reproductive health.
• Health and youth resources, including access to relevant information and support services.

Day One: The Student Experience

October 23 will place young people at the centre of the experience, with programming designed specifically for secondary-school students.

Rather than a traditional conference where young people simply sit and listen, HerFlow is creating an environment where students can ask questions, participate in discussions, challenge myths and engage with experts and their peers.

The programme will address topics including puberty, menstruation, reproductive health, consent, relationships, HPV, body literacy and stigma.

Day Two: Parents, Caregivers and the Adults Around Children

October 24 will place greater emphasis on parents, caregivers and the adults responsible for supporting young people through puberty and adolescence.

HerFlow believes that reproductive-health education cannot succeed if young people are receiving information at school while the adults around them remain uncomfortable having the conversation at home.

Day Two will therefore explore parenting, communication, puberty, body confidence, consent, adolescent wellbeing and the role of parents—including fathers—in creating safe spaces for reproductive-health

A growing network of partners is being supported by a growing network of public, private-sector, media, academic and development partners.

Confirmed major partners include the Ministry of Health & Wellness, University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) and ZIP 103FM, which will serve as the conference’s official media partner and provide Outside Broadcast coverage on both days.

The conference is also being supported through partnerships and engagement with organisations including VM Group, Student Loans Bureau, Brunswick, Serge and other stakeholders committed to adolescent health, education and wellbeing.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness’s participation comes at an important moment for Jamaica’s reproductive-health agenda, following the launch of the National Menstrual Health Equity Initiative earlier this year.

UTech’s involvement also builds on its existing relationship with HerFlow. In 2025, the university received more than 5,000 tampons through HerFlow, supported by Kotex, and has previously hosted HerFlow’s

Live Safe College Tour and menstrual-health activities.

A decade of impact—and a new decade of action

For HerFlow Foundation, Conference. Period. is both a milestone and a beginning.

The organisation’s decade of work has demonstrated the scale of the need for menstrual-health education and access. 

Its next chapter is focused on advancing a broader life-course approach to reproductive health, recognising that health and dignity matter from puberty through menstruation, fertility, parenting, reproductive disorders, workplace health, menopause and beyond.

“Period poverty was the door through which we entered this conversation,” Weeks said. “But after ten years, we understand that the conversation is much bigger. We are talking about how people understand their bodies, how families communicate, how schools support students, how workplaces respond to reproductive-health needs and how our policies protect dignity.”

“Conference. Period. is our invitation to Jamaica to have that conversation together.”

Registration and participation: Parents, students, educators, healthcare professionals, organisations, businesses and members of the public are invited to participate in Conference. Period. 2026, taking place October 23–24 at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

For conference registration, partnership opportunities and programme information, visit HerFlow Foundation’s website: herflowfoundation.com.