I wish to do a cost benefit assessment on lack of gender-friendly infrastructures (where available) for menstrual hygiene management in schools and would like to have publications and methodological systems of case studies from forum members. This will enable us to arrive at the cost of action and inaction to further encourage government buy-in into it as a matter of priority.
Any support in this regard will be appreciated with thanks.
Femi Aluko

Dear Ms. Ananya,

That is a great idea - games. Could you kindly give the links for downloading these games?
Thanks

Regards,

F H Mughal

Thanks sir,
menstrual hygiene management is major issue in school drop out of adolescent girls.lack of Appropriate toilet facility plays important role in MHM. in india design of school toilet not proper for changing and disposal of used sanitary pad. not only provision for napkins is important but also DISPOSAL FACILITY AND BEHAVER about this sensitive topic is also important

Gopal Gore

Hi Mr. Mughal,

Nice and appropriate discussion started! We in WASH United prefer the use of games so that the teachers nor the students feel threatened to bring up the sensitive topic. All the messages are given through the games! I would suggest you should start thinking of customizing games that are frequently played games in Pakistan to the cause of MHM! Hope that idea helps..

Cheers,

-Ananya

Dear Ms. Madeleine

Thank you for giving a great overview and information on MHM. It was interesting to read your post. I have one question. Please see, if you can help me out on this.

In Muslim countries, due to, probably, religious requirements, and somewhat conservative traditions among females, especially in the rural areas, the subject of MHM remain relegated to the background and is not brought to the fore and discussed. This applies principally to the case of school girls. It is difficult to initiate and discuss on this topic - though, I know, this is at the risk of the health of the school girls.

Another aspect, strongly related to that, is the non-availability of safe drinking water, water for use in toilets, poor sanitation, non-availability of separate toilets for girls, and absence of proper hygiene practices. I understand, the WASH aspect in schools, is strongly related to MHM in school girls.

My question is: how can we overcome this barrier; and how can the advantages of good MHM principles be made known widely in schools?

In addition to your own comments (you can back them up with some links to publications for in-depth treatment), I would also request WASH experts in Muslim countries to kindly offer their views, as well.

Thanks and regards,

F H Mughal

Dear all
I guess that most of you have already seen WASH Plus weekly and their focus on Menstruation Management and School WASH.
Please note that there is an upcoming virtual conference ; November 21, 2013 - 2nd Annual Virtual Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in WASH in Schools (WinS) Conference. (Link) | (Link to 2012 Presentations) |
This year it will be managed from New York.

The 2013 WWW prize laureate Peter Morgan and his assistant Annie Shangwa have worked a lot on school girls menstruation management aquamor.info/menstrual-hygiene.html
If you have not been able to see WASH Plus communictation I have copied and paste it here ;
WASHplus Weekly – Menstrual Hygiene Management
Posted: 12 Jul 2013 11:28 AM PDT
Issue 107 | July 12, 2013 | Focus on Menstrual Hygiene Management, 2nd Edition
This issue updates the August 2012 Weekly on menstrual hygiene management (MHM). It includes an upcoming conference, a toolkit from WaterAid, a review of the health and social effects of MHM, recent newspaper articles and editorials, case studies from Egypt and India and other resources. We welcome suggestions for Weekly topics. Future issues will focus on innovation, water point mapping, mobile applications, and WASH in schools; more than 100 past issues of the Weekly are archived on the WASHplus website.
EVENTS
November 21, 2013 - 2nd Annual Virtual Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in WASH in Schools (WinS) Conference. (Link) | (Link to 2012 Presentations) |
The 2nd annual virtual MHM conference will provide an opportunity to share MHM lessons learned with the WASH in Schools (WinS) community around the world with a particular focus on the tools and instruments being utilized to explore the MHM barriers facing girls, and to measure and evaluate interventions being trialed or implemented. The one-day meeting will convene in New York City, with a select number of in-person participants, and the vast majority of participants to be online by webex.
GENERAL/OVERVIEW
 Focus on Menstrual Hygiene Management. WASHplus Weekly, Aug 2012. WASHplus. (Full text)
This issue contains information and links to 2012 conferences, fact sheets and other resources on menstrual hygiene management.
 Menstrual Hygiene Matters, 2012. WaterAid. (Full text)
This is an essential resource for improving menstrual hygiene for women and girls in lower and middle-income countries. Nine modules and toolkits cover key aspects of menstrual hygiene in different settings, including communities, schools and emergencies.
 A Systematic Review of the Health and Social Effects of Menstrual Hygiene Management. PLoS One. Apr 2013. C Sumpter. (Full text)
The management of menstruation presents significant challenges for women in lower income settings; the effect of poor MHM however remains unclear. It is plausible that MHM can affect the reproductive tract but the specific infections, the strength of effect, and the route of transmission, remain unclear. There is a gap in the evidence for high quality randomized intervention studies that combine hardware and software interventions, in particular for better understanding the nuanced effect improving MHM may have on girls’ attendance at school.
JOURNAL ARTICLES/REPORTS
 Celebrating Womanhood: How Better Menstrual Hygiene Management is the Path to Better Health, Dignity and Business, 2013. Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council. (Full text, pdf)
On 8 March 2013, a unique event was hosted in the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Celebrating Womanhood: Menstrual Hygiene Management was unique for focussing so clearly on menstruation, but also for the wide and deep range of participants who travelled on International Women’s Day to spend several hours discussing what is, even now, a taboo subject in the highest corridors of funding and decision-making. This report provides a snapshot of the key messages and issues raised at the meeting.
 Fact Sheet on the WSSCC Approach to Menstrual Hygiene Management, 2013. Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council. (Full text)
The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) has four pillars of work around Menstrual Hygiene Management: Policy and Research, Advocacy and Communication, Knowledge and Skills, Access and Use.
 Girls’ and Women’s Unmet Needs for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM): The Interactions between MHM and Sanitation Systems in Low-Income Countries. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, Feb 2013. M Sommer, Columbia University. (Abstract)
While the sanitation sector is gaining increased recognition in policy and research, its inherent inter-linkage with menstrual hygiene management remains an under-researched subject. This review explores knowledge about menstrual beliefs and behaviors, and how women and girls currently handle their monthly menses in relation to existing sanitation systems in low-income countries. It further explores how used menstrual materials are disposed of, and the consequences of different disposal practices for the functioning of sanitation systems.
 Impact of Health Education Program on Menstrual Beliefs and Practices of Adolescent Egyptian Girls at Secondary Technical Nursing School. Life Science Journal, 10(2) 2013. R Bassiouny. (Full text, pdf)
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a health education program on menstrual beliefs and practices among adolescent school girls. It was observed that 41.2% gained their knowledge from their friends. Menstrual practices among them was found to be fair before the program, while in the posttest, there were a significant differences in student’s level of knowledge and practices. There was a negative correlation between mothers’ education and students’ practices. The level of students’ knowledge regarding menstruation and menstrual hygiene practices improved after the program.
 Improving Quality of Life with New Menstrual Hygiene Practices Among Adolescent Tribal Girls in Rural Gujarat, India. Reproductive Health Matters, May 2013. S Shah. (Abstract)
The Government of India has started a new scheme aimed at offering sanitary pads at a subsidized rate to adolescent girls in rural areas. This paper addresses menstrual health and hygiene practices among adolescent girls in a rural, tribal region of South Gujarat, India, and their experiences using old cloths, a new soft cotton cloth (falalin) and sanitary pads. The introduction of falalin cloths improved quality of life significantly and to a lesser extent also sanitary pads. No significant reduction was observed in self-reported symptoms of reproductive tract infections. Falalin cloths were culturally more acceptable as they were readily available, easy to use and cheaper than sanitary pads.
 Reflections on Menstrual Hygiene Management, 2013. R George. (Video)
A Presentation by Rose George (journalist and author of “The Big Necessity” www.rosegeorge.com) at the “Making connections: Women, sanitation and health” event.
 ToT in Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in Emergencies for Emergency WASH Trainers: Course Report, 2013. WaterAid. (Full text, pdf)
In emergency contexts women and girls face additional challenges in managing their menstruation because their usual coping mechanisms may be lost, and they may be faced with living in close proximity with their brothers, fathers, uncles and strangers both male and female. Managing two to seven days of blood being released from the body and washing and drying sanitary materials in this context would be challenging for any woman or girl. In the past few years some progress has been made in relation to MHM in emergencies. In response to increased interest in this topic and the need for training resources, this one day Training of Trainers (ToT) for emergency WASH trainers was created to build confidence in integrating MHM into emergency WASH related training courses.
BLOG POSTS/NEWS ARTICLES/OTHER RESOURCES
 Menstrual Hygiene Management: A Taboo that Must Be Broken! Asian Development Blog, June 2013. A Jain, ADB. (Blog post)
Urban development projects, including those in water, sanitation and hygiene, provide opportunities to bring this silent but important gender issue into the spotlight by incorporating MHM requirements into the design and management of public latrines and solid waste management initiatives. The cost of incorporating improved MHM practices for women and girls in such projects would be incremental—improved design of latrine facilities for women to give them more space, construction of separate latrines facilities with water supply, placement of trash bins, hygiene awareness and sensitivity training in secondary schools.
 Menstrual Management & Sanitation Systems: Various Documents on Results from Research Grant, 2013. V Hoffmann, University of Maryland. (Link)
This entry from the SuSanA online library contains background documents for a project to address the interactions between menstrual management and sanitation, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and led by Vivian Hoffmann at the University of Maryland.
 Rwanda: Soiling Girls’ Education – Are Sanitary Pads Too Expensive? New Times, June 2913. (Full text)
Many girls nationwide miss school when they are in their menstruation period simply because they cannot afford the Rwf500 (US$.77) that the cheapest sanitary pad costs. Usually a woman will use two packets a month. But girl are now taking matters into their own hands. Girls in one school have initiated a program to ensure that even the poorest girl in school can have sanitary pads.
 Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. (Website)
The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research is a nonprofit, interdisciplinary research organization. Membership includes researchers in the social and health sciences, humanities scholars, health care providers, policy makers, health activists, artists and students with interests in the role of the menstrual cycle in women’s health and well-being.
 Women’s Healthcare in Africa – An Urgent Monthly Need. Huffington Post Blog, June 2013. B Segal. (Blog post)
As the Kampala-based Director of Operations for Segal Family Foundation, I have the pleasure of witnessing an unexpected movement for women’s empowerment that revolves around menstrual management. The Segal Family Foundation is a private foundation founded by Barry Segal in 2004, supporting 130 organizations across 18 African countries. Amongst these partners are three social businesses innovating feminine hygiene products that bring girls dignity, hygienic solutions, and more days in school.
Each WASHplus Weekly highlights topics such as Urban WASH, Indoor Air Pollution, Innovation, Household Water Treatment and Storage, Hand Washing, Integration, and more. If you would like to feature your organization’s materials in upcoming issues, please send them to Dan Campbell, WASHplus knowledge resources specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Filed under: Dignity and Social Development, Hygiene Promotion, Progress on Sanitation, Sanitary Facilities Tagged: menstrual hygiene management



Nov 21, 2013 – Virtual Menstrual Hygiene Management in WASH in Schools Conference
Posted: 12 Jul 2013 10:49 AM PDT
November 21, 2013 – 2nd Annual Virtual Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in WASH in Schools (WinS) Conference
Background:
The 2nd annual virtual MHM conference will provide an opportunity to share MHM lessons learned with the
WASH in Schools (WinS) community around the world with a particular focus on the tools and instruments
being utilized to explore the MHM barriers facing girls, and to measure and evaluate interventions being trialed or implemented.
The conference will provide an opportunity to:
 Share MHM related research tools,
 Share MHM research findings from different countries
 Share recommendations for adaptation of existing MHM research tools for WINS practitioners.
There has been much research, programming and policy work conducted over the last year since the inaugural MHM conference, and the 2nd annual conference will enable the showcasing of these findings, and continue to move forward the global effort to fill existing gaps in knowledge and advocacy. We will be hosting another joint Columbia University and UNICEF one-day conference on November 21, 2013 that will bring together WASH and/or MHM experts, relevant global health and education experts, UNICEF country offices, academics and organizations from around the world currently implementing MHM-related activities. This one-day event will provide an opportunity to share experiences on a diversity of contexts along with enabling joint discussion on the way forward.
 Additional Information

Filed under: Campaigns and Events, Sanitary Facilities Tagged: menstrual hygiene management



WSSCC Developing Roster of Senior Consultants for Sanitation and Hygiene Programming Support
Posted: 12 Jul 2013 01:10 AM PDT
The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is currently recruiting to populate a roster of Senior Consultants Sanitation and Hygiene Programming Support. Placement on the roster will enable consultants to be contracted on a retainer basis to provide support to WSSCC’s country-level work in a variety of countries in Africa and Asia. The purpose of these consultancies is to strengthen WSSCC’s range of activities around equity and sustainable and integrated hygiene and sanitation behaviour change at scale, within four main task areas:
Programme support: strengthen equity and hygiene and sanitation behaviour change programming aspects in GSF programmes in selected countries by providing technical support to programmes.
Capacity strengthening: Directly respond to programme capacity needs in relation to equity and/or hygiene and sanitation behaviour change; where appropriate develop capacity building materials or tools; advise WSSCC on the development of systems for equity and/or sanitation and hygiene behaviour change related capacity development.
Learning: In line with the 2012-2016 Medium Term Strategic Plan, inform WSSCC’s sustainable behaviour change and equity related learning agenda.
Country scoping and strategic programme development: Scoping, sector reviews and relationship building to support identification of new programme countries for WSSCC engagement.
The incumbents are professional specialists who are based in or have spent extended periods of time in one or more of WSSCC’s programme countries in Africa and Asia including but not limited to: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda.
For more information and to apply, go to: gprs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=2620

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