I first learned about Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in grad school. A core class in the program centered on global issues and when it came time to writing my final paper, I wanted to tie my research topic on fem hygiene advertising to the theories of the class. I was surprised to learn that there was an entire field of research dedicated to menstrual health and feminine hygiene in the developing world. And even more surprised that I was never taught about the lack of care and support women receive when it comes to their periods.

Within just a few hours of research, I realized just how limited my viewpoint was on the topic of menstrual care internationally. It’s a topic we don’t often hear about, but one that deserves both our attention and resources.

As a new topic for many, the Diva Team thought to take some time to talk about some of the basics of MHM.

According to Wash United, Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) starts with the articulation, awareness, and information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene practices.  Women and girls should be able to manage the period in safety, privacy and dignity by i) having  access to and using hygienic materials together with ii) the provision of adequate water and soap for washing and bathing and iii) assuring adequate collection and safe disposal of sanitary products – at home, schools/colleges, institutions, workplace and in public places.

Consider these facts:

  1. A little over half of the world’s female population is of reproductive age and experience a cycle that last between 5-7 days.
  2. In regions where women do not have access to feminine hygiene products, rags, dry leaves, newspaper etc. are often used to manage flow.
  3. UNESCO estimates that 1 in 10 African girls miss school during menses, which often leads to a higher dropout rate and missed opportunity.
  4. In countries like Bangladesh, female garment workers are reporting to miss up to 6 days of work because they do not have a way to care for their period.
  5. Many girls in developing countries are not educated about puberty or the menstrual cycle.
  6. In North America women throw away 11,000 tampons/pads throughout their menstruating years – yikes! Many developing countries do not have proper waste disposal infrastructure, which leads to an increase in public waste and hygienic concerns. For this reason reusable options like cloth pads and menstrual cups (where access to clean water and soap is readily available) are ideal solutions for women everywhere.
  7. Taboos surrounding menstruation are still prevalent in countries around the world. For example, 48 % of girls in Iran and 10 % of girls in India believe that menstruation is a disease.

What we can gather from these insights is that MHM is fundamental to advancing education, ensuring health, strengthening the economy, protecting the environment, realizing human rights and changing attitudes of both (men and women).

You can learn more about these key areas by viewing these fact sheets put together by Wash United. We want to welcome all our Divas to play a part in spreading the world about MHM.

On May 28th, 2014 we will be participating in the first ever Menstrual Hygiene Day and you can too! Organized by Wash United, and together with over 100 partners from around the globe, MHD is a global effort to draw attention the women’s right to hygienically manage their periods, no matter where they live.

In recognition of Menstrual Hygiene Day, Diva International Inc. has partnered with Lunapads and their One4Her program and have committed to donate an AFRIpads kit for every DivaCup sold on Lunapads.com during the month of May (up to 500 kits). To date we have been able to provide over 250 girls with a better way to care for her period for over a year! Help us reach 500 by buying a DivaCup for you or a friend today!

You can also get involved in MHD by sharing the many resources put together by the team at Wash United. Share the MHD infographic and #MenstruationMatters sign to your Facebook or Twitter profile, make a conversation starter bracelet or attend an event! You can also show your support beyond MHD, whether financially or through your time, by giving to one of the incredible organizations who are helping to provide women and girls with accessible and affordable menstrual hygiene products.

Reference Guide: All facts were drawn from the Menstrual Hygiene Day Fact Sheets produced by Wash United. View them here.

  • Menstrual Hygiene Matters. WaterAid, 2012
  • Torondel & Sumpter, 2013
  • Africanews, Sanitary Towels for Kenyan Teenage Schools Girls, 2011. 7. IBID
  • Her Project, Female Factory Workers’ Health Needs Assessment: Bangladesh, 2010
  • Dasgupta & Sarkar, Menstrual Hygiene: How Hygienic is the Adolescent Girl? 2008
  • National Research Center for Women & Families, Tampon Safety, 2010
  • WSSCC, A tide of change in India, 2012