I know. Part Two has taken its time! Thank you for your patience. But perhaps there is something fitting about returning to a conversation we have waited far too long to have in the first place. In my last article, I asked why we wait until women begin experiencing menopause before preparing them for it. Now, I find myself asking a different question: once we have started the conversation, what happens next?
It is one thing for a woman to hear that brain fog, anxiety, poor sleep or changes in mood may be associated with menopause. It is another for her to know where to seek help, find a healthcare professional who understands what she is experiencing, or feel comfortable asking for support at home or at work.
Awareness matters. It can help a woman recognise what is happening to her body and realise that she is not alone. But awareness without access to care can leave her with a new vocabulary for describing her difficulties and very little help in addressing them. The real test of the menopause conversation is what changes in a woman’s everyday life after it ends.
When understanding comes too late
At the Menopause West Africa Experience in Lagos, one story that stayed with me was that of Lauren Chiren, whose own experience led her into this work. While working in a senior role in financial services, Lauren began struggling with memory, concentration and sleep. She became so concerned that she thought she might be experiencing early-onset dementia. Eventually, she left a role she had loved, only to discover that menopause was behind what she had been experiencing. Her story is a sobering reminder of what happens when women lack the information to interpret changes in their own bodies – and when the people and institutions around them are not equipped to recognise what might be happening.
Lauren has since devoted her work to helping women and organisations understand menopause, including through workplace education and the development of standards for supporting women at work.
Imagine how differently her experience might have unfolded if menopause had been discussed more openly, if she had understood the possible signs earlier, and if she had felt able to seek support without fearing that her professional competence would be questioned.
Lauren Chiren’s work offers a useful example of what it means to take the conversation further. Beyond educating women about menopause, she has contributed to the development of workplace standards through the British Standards Institution and the International Organization for Standardization. In September 2026, ISO published ISO 45010, guidance to help organisations develop policies and practices that support menstrual and menopausal health at work. The significance is not simply that menopause is receiving more attention. It is that organisations now have an international reference point for examining their policies, workplace environments, management practices and support systems. The question for employers is no longer only whether they understand menopause, but whether their organisations are equipped to respond.
The workplace is part of the conversation
This is where the workplace must become part of our understanding of menopause care. Women do not stop being professionals when they experience changes in their health. Many are at the height of their careers during midlife, carrying institutional knowledge, managing teams, making important decisions and mentoring younger colleagues. At the same time, they may be raising children, supporting ageing parents or navigating other personal responsibilities.
Yet a woman struggling with sleep, concentration, anxiety or other symptoms may worry that disclosing her difficulties will affect how she is perceived. She may fear being considered less capable, less reliable or no longer suited for leadership. So she says nothing, tries to manage on her own and hopes that things will improve.
The consequences are not only personal. Organisations risk losing experienced women whose knowledge, judgement and leadership they have invested years in developing. At the conference, the participation of HR and corporate health leaders helped bring this connection into focus. Menopause support cannot sit with healthcare professionals alone; it also requires organisations to examine how their policies, managers and everyday working practices affect women navigating midlife. What might this look like in practice?
It could begin with training HR teams and line managers to understand menopause, respond appropriately and signpost employees to credible sources of support. It could mean creating confidential ways for employees to discuss health-related needs without fear of stigma. Depending on the role and the individual’s circumstances, practical adjustments might include greater flexibility around working hours, access to a cooler or quieter workspace, or temporary changes to work arrangements.
Organisations can also review their existing health, wellbeing, flexible-work and leave policies to establish whether they adequately respond to women’s needs at different life stages. Where appropriate, employee assistance programmes and occupational health services can provide further support.
These measures do not require employers to assume that every woman will experience menopause in the same way. Nor do they mean lowering performance expectations. They mean recognising that good performance is influenced by the conditions in which people work, and that reasonable support can help experienced employees continue to contribute.
Progressive policies matter, but a policy that exists only in an employee handbook will not change much. Women must know that support is available, managers must understand how to implement it, and organisational cultures must make it safe to ask for help.
A workplace that supports women through menopause is not doing them a favour. It is creating the conditions for experienced women to remain healthy, engaged and able to contribute.
Care must connect the different parts of a woman’s life
Work is only one part of the picture. Menopause may intersect with physical health, mental wellbeing, relationships, nutrition, movement, sexuality, financial security and the responsibilities women carry at home. The WHO has urged practitioners to respond as though these needs are connected, because at the moment, the support available to address them is often fragmented.
This is why the idea of care must go beyond simply telling women what menopause is. We need to make it easier for them to move from information to appropriate support.
Healthcare professionals have a central role in providing evidence-based information, assessing symptoms and guiding women towards suitable care. But this responsibility cannot rest on health professionals alone. Employers, mental health practitioners, wellness providers, community organisations and families can each help women find relevant information and support. The important thing is that these efforts connect rather than operate as isolated activities.
This also requires honesty about access. We cannot speak about care as though every woman can readily afford specialist consultations, take time away from work or travel to find the right service. As we build awareness, we must also consider affordability, availability and the practical realities of women’s lives.
The goal is not to create another list of things women must do to manage themselves better. It is to make the support they need easier to find and use.
Why champions, communities and familiar voices matter
One of the encouraging developments at Menopause West Africa was the inauguration of 100 Menopause Champions, with plans to extend education and awareness into churches and other places of worship.
The idea of champions is important because not every meaningful conversation about menopause will happen at a conference or in a hospital. Some will happen between friends, among colleagues, in women’s associations, at community meetings or after a conversation at church.
A champion can help make menopause less of a whispered subject. They can share credible information, challenge myths, encourage women to seek appropriate medical advice and point them towards reliable sources of support. They can also help bring the conversation to people who may not otherwise encounter it.
Champions, however, should not be expected to diagnose symptoms or replace trained healthcare professionals. Their role is to build understanding, create safer spaces for conversation and connect women to the right help.
Public figures can play a similar role. Patience Ozokwor’s advocacy at the conference was a reminder of the influence familiar voices can have in making a subject more relatable. When respected public figures speak openly about menopause, they can help challenge the idea that it is something to be embarrassed about or endured in silence.
Imagine what it would mean for actors, media personalities, faith leaders, community figures and other trusted voices to make menopause part of ordinary public conversation. Imagine women hearing these discussions not only during an awareness month, but throughout the year, in the spaces where they already live, work and gather.
The value of celebrity advocacy is not simply that a famous person mentions menopause. It is that their voice can open a door for a more informed conversation – one that directs women towards credible information and appropriate care.
And that conversation must include women whose experiences are often overlooked: women in informal employment, women in rural communities, women with limited access to healthcare and women who may not have the language or resources to explain what they are experiencing.
Awareness should not be reserved for women who can attend conferences or follow health conversations online.
What happens next?
For me, this is the question that matters most. A gathering can bring together healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, advocates, community organisations and women who are eager to learn. It can make visible the different dimensions of menopause and introduce people who may be able to work together. But its lasting value depends on what happens when everyone returns to their everyday lives.
Do champions continue the conversation in their communities? Do healthcare providers make reliable information easier to access? Do employers examine their policies and equip managers to respond appropriately? Do public figures use their platforms to challenge stigma? Do women leave knowing where to seek help when they need it?
These are the kinds of questions that can help us distinguish awareness from progress. We should also pay attention to what we measure. We should also ask whether women understand their options better, whether they know where to find support, whether workplaces are becoming more responsive, and whether community education is helping women access appropriate care.
Menopause is a natural life transition, but that does not mean every woman will experience it in the same way or need the same support. Our response must leave room for those differences while ensuring that no woman is made to feel that she must figure everything out by herself.
Perhaps the next phase of this conversation is not simply about speaking more loudly. It is about building stronger connections between knowledge and care, between community awareness and professional support, and between progressive policies and the everyday experiences of women. We have waited too long to have this conversation. We should not have to wait just as long to see it make a difference.
The conversation has started. Now, let us make sure it leads somewhere.