Dubai, UAE – 25 January 2022 - In an effort to dispel social stigma around menopause in the Arab world, The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency - in partnership with TENA - the world’s leading incontinence brand - will celebrate women and foster expert discussions on the theme as part of an event on Thursday 27 January at the Swedish pavilion at EXPO 2020

The event is part of a broader campaign titled ‘Despair No More’ launched by TENA that tackles stigma related to women's ageing health issues. The event will be initiated through an augmented reality (AR) experience, where visitors will be able to witness the word ‘Age of Despair’ while being transformed to ‘Age of Renewal’ through artistic visualizations.

The event will be launched with a speech by Egyptian actress Shereen Reda followed by a panel discussion titled ‘Breaking Stigmas around women ageing’ moderated by the award-winning TV presenter, Rania Ali. The session will host the Chief of Strategic Partnership within the Division of Communications and Strategic Partnerships of UNFPA, Mariarosa Cutillo; and the Global Brand and Communication Director of TENA, Meta Redstedt. The discussion will shed light on the perception of women in menopause in the Arab region to identify strategies to support them. The event will conclude with a performance by Ghalia Benali singing ‘Despair No More’ song.

“Bringing our message to the global stage through EXPO 2020 is a significant milestone within our campaign to shift the narrative from ‘Age of Despair’. Through this campaign, we at TENA are taking the opportunity to support women of menopausal age more agency and confidence in their lives. We believe it’s crucial to break down the stereotypes associated with ageing and with its subjects such as incontinence.” Marketing Manager Middle East & Africa of TENA, Yosra Embabi, commented.

Earlier this year, UNFPA announced that Age of Renewal has been selected as the new description for menopause in Arabic.

‘Age of Despair’ is the term that is usually used to describe menopause. A survey conducted by TENA has revealed that the majority of women prefer a new and more positive term to define this physical and psychological stage of a woman's life. The initiative aims to break the taboo of incontinence. According to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), urinary incontinence is one of the greatest global health disorders, with one in three women over 35 experiencing symptoms and one in four of all men over 40. With stigma associated with the condition, globally urinary incontinence is under-reported, under-diagnosed and under-treated.

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About UNFPA

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number – and rate – of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before. UNFPA works with the supporting women reproductive health throughout the lifecycle, including menopause and related health issues.    

About TENA

TENA is a brand of Essity, a leading global hygiene and health company. With over 60 years of experience TENA is the leading adult incontinence brand globally. TENA offers a full range of absorbent products, skincare and digital health technology solutions that are tailored to the needs of individuals, their families and healthcare professionals. With TENA, Essity is at the forefront of developing products and services that help improve dignity and the quality of people’s lives. Our products reduce our carbon footprint, step by step, we’re not just protecting people, but the planet too.

For more information, please contact

In Cairo: Samir Aldarabi, Regional Media Adviser for the United Nations Population Fund for the Arab States Region, +201068484879, aldarabi@unfpa.org