From Stigma to Science: Tackling Taboo Health Topics in the Arab World

Many of us grew up in households where women’s health topics were whispered, if mentioned at all. Menstruation, fertility, sexual health, postpartum depression, and menopause are still considered off-limits in many spaces. This silence has a cost.

Without open conversation, research lags. Without research, innovation stalls. And without innovation, women suffer, often in silence.

At femMENA, we believe these taboos are not just cultural challenges, they are opportunities for innovation.

Startups and researchers in the Arab world are starting to disrupt the silence. FemTech founders are creating period care products that meet the needs of women in hot climates. Others are developing sexual health education apps that protect user privacy. And slowly, the narrative is shifting, from shame to empowerment.

But we need more: more data, more investment, more public discourse. We need women who are brave enough to break the silence, and bold enough to build new solutions.

That’s where you come in.