Human rights are standards that recognize and protect the dignity of all human beings. Menstruation is fundamentally related to human dignity. Without good menstrual hygiene management practices, living a dignified life is impossible for girls and women. Menstrual hygiene rights are connected to the right to non-discrimination, to health and healthy environment, education and work. The right to health is also at risk, as women using unclean cloths without the ability to wash are at greater risk of developing infections.
Effective Menstrual Hygiene Management is also essential to achieve a number of the Sustainable Development Goals including ensuring healthy lives, inclusive and equitable education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation and inclusive economic growth. Additionally, Menstrual Hygiene Management helps to keep the environment clean through avoiding waste and saving water.
Note that menstruation-related teasing, gender inequality, extreme poverty, humanitarian crises, harmful traditions, exclusion and shame undermine the principle of human dignity.
Due to cultural taboos and poverty, millions of women and girls across the world are still denied the right to choose how they manage their periods with dignity. The lack of access, knowledge and support often leads to girls missing or dropping out of school, putting them at greater risk of child marriage and early pregnancy – further exacerbating the cycle of poverty and inequality.
Menstruation, and especially menarche, the first period can be seen as the entry point to female health across the lifecycle: it is connected to sexual and reproductive rights, as well as hormonal health, natal health, breastfeeding, and sexual awareness and wellness, and menopause among others.
Menarche (the first period), can undermine girls’ human rights. In many places around the world, menarche is believed to be an indication that girls are ready for marriage or sexual activity. This leaves girls vulnerable to a host of abuses, including child marriage and sexual violence.
‘Period Poverty’ which is defined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as the struggle many low-income women and girls face while trying to afford menstrual products.
UNFPA adds that the term ‘period poverty’ also refers to the increased economic vulnerability women and girls face due to the financial burden posed by menstrual supplies. These include not only sanitary napkins and tampons, but also related costs such as pain medication and underwear.
A number of governments have attempted to address this ‘period poverty’ issue. In India, the authorities scrapped a tax on sanitary pads, a move instigated by lobbying from activists and public figures in 2018.
However, to solve period poverty globally we need to collectively address the issue of gender inequality at its root. We must not allow women and girls to be identified primarily by their biological functions and ensure their periods are celebrated, not shamed, and can be a positive step in exercising empowerment.
Also, there is a need to start comprehensive puberty education programs for boys and girls in school and community level education programs for parents. Equal focus should be given to sensitize the men as much as to women in the community so that they can positively start supporting the women. The inclusion of all the family members in such comprehensive education programs will improve the parenting skills as well as enhance the communication about sexual and reproductive health among the family members.
Worth mentioning here is that the majority of menstruators are women—although not all women menstruate and not all menstruators are women. Given this, it is not surprising that there has been little focus on the attitudes about and experiences with menstruation among men. It is also equally important to discuss with boys and men who are not themselves menstruators to shed light on how they learn about menstruation, what they actually know about menstruation, and what beliefs and attitudes boys and men hold about both menstruation and menstruators.
Men and boys have equal stakes in Menstrual Hygiene Management and can become ambassadors or change-makers who challenge the status quo of myths, misconceptions and practices that allow fear, shame and discomfort during menstruation.
We, as men can provide psychosocial support, mostly, by understanding and appreciating gender-biased vulnerabilities brought about by hormones during menstruation.
Men have to be sensitized about how their actions (or inaction) may influence women’s wellbeing (social, economic, psychological), which they would otherwise never realise, if we don’t discuss it.
Tearing down the stigma around periods starts with education. Teaching both boys and girls about the way periods work and opening the topic up for constructive discussion is essential for clearing any of the common misconceptions.
Let’s all keep talking and spreading awareness about menstruation—let’s fill the silence.