Poor menstrual hygiene caused by a lack of education on the issue, persisting taboos and stigma, limited access to hygienic menstrual products and poor sanitation infrastructure undermines the educational opportunities, health and overall social status of women and girls around the world. As a result, millions of women and girls are kept from reaching their full potential.
The UNC’s Water Institute annual policy-meets-science exchange has become the go-to domestic knowledge-sharing forum among water and sanitation development practitioners, funders, and academia. This year USAID participated in more than 15 presentations and side events on a wide array of topics, including designing sanitation enterprises, rural water supply, and examining research’s role in driving policy and promoting change.
The Virtual Conference on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in Schools provides an opportunity to hear the latest research and programming on menstrual health and hygiene from around the world. This year's conference will focus on the 'MHM in Ten' five priorities identified for transforming MHM in schools by 2024.
NIKHALAMO is a word in the local language (Chuabo) and means, freely translated, “Girl Child, Stay in School”. The objective of the 4-year (2015-2018) NIKHALAMO Project is to ensure that vulnerable girls in Namacurra district (Zambezia Province) complete upper primary school and transit to lower secondary schools (6th and 7th grades). The project is implemented by ADPP Mozambique (Development Aid from People to People).
As part of the the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018, USAID was required by Congress to include a report on its current sanitation and hygiene programs, including ensuring the availability of feminine hygiene products. The report covers USAID sanitation focused development and humanitarian assistance across Asia and Africa.
This external performance evaluation of the Malawi Girls’ Empowerment through Education and Health Activity (ASPIRE), conducted 2.5 years after ASPIRE began, establishes the activity’s progress against its objectives, proposes adaptations for the final year, and captures lessons for application in future girls’ empowerment, health, and education programming in Malawi.
Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day), May 28, is an annual global event to raise awareness about the challenges women and girls face due to menstruation and to highlight solutions that address these challenges. MH Day also provides a platform to advocate for making menstrual hygiene management (MHM) a part of local, national, and global policies, as well as programs, projects, and activities across global development sectors. MH Day is organized by WASH United, which has run the event since its inception in 2013.
This year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration is all about women’s empowerment. In many countries, women and girls’ participation in education and public life is severely curtailed when they have their periods. Empowering women and girls is a key goal of USAID’s efforts to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions in communities around the world.
Water Currents is produced biweekly by USAID’s E3 Water Office. Each issue contains recent news and articles on water sector issues, partner and donor updates, latest sector research, and a special focus on one topic. Please provide your feedback and suggestions by contacting the waterteam@usaid.gov.
Safe WASH II | 2014–2019
