Let us break down what it takes for a girl to manage her periods in a healthy way that respects and upholds her dignity, and privacy. We need “education”, “understanding”, and a conducive environment that supports these elements while empowering girls. This advocacy includes information about, favorable social norms and healthy attitudes towards menstruation. A girl needs to know why she has periods and what is happening to her body when she menstruates. She needs to be educated about the range of safe and hygienic menstrual products available, both reusable and disposable.

Negative and harmful menstruation related social norms and taboos can perpetrate a culture of silence and negative attitudes, and should be addressed to ease long term repercussions. This includes adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities (including disposal systems), and safe and hygienic materials to absorb menstrual blood. When girls are educated regarding menstrual products they can use clean menstrual absorbents, and can wash up with clean water, and change the cloth or pad as many times as required in a safe and private space. A supportive environment is essential if girls are to use and benefit from these menstrual products available to them.

This enabling environment is complex, encompassing a multitude of taboos who affect female’s directly and indirectly. Menstruation is private, but most girls are constantly negotiating societal norms and public policy that impinge on them. Parents, siblings, community members, including men and boys, have a strong impact on
how girls perceive and manage their periods.

Teachers, health care providers, and others who come in contact with girls through schools, health centers also shape her experiences. These influencers come from the same communities as an adolescent girl, experience similar sets of constraints related to periods, and play a pivotal role in perpetrating a culture of silence and shame around this issue. 

Girls will continue to struggle with menstruation till they lack information, and deep set, harmful social norms remain unaddressed. The health and women empowerment sectors can play a critical role in addressing these aspects and enabling girls to make informed decisions.

Menstruation matters to our girls, and it should matter to everyone, everywhere. We experience it and we shape its experience. As influencers, development professionals, and policy makers, we must take action now. 

We are responsible for teaching the next generation of women about periods and how to manage them safely and hygienically. Schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions can all play a part in helping stop the stigma around menstrual hygiene. Educating students and providing them with the right hygiene management facilities will help give women and girls the confidence not to be held back by their periods.