On Tuesday July 16, 2019, join organizers Columbia University and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for a webinar on the Menstrual Hygiene Management in Emergencies Toolkit. The webinar will take place from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm EST.
Discussion topics will include:
USAID recognizes that lack of access to safe sanitation facilities and sufficient water and supplies for hygiene, including for menstrual hygiene, disproportionately affect women and girls. As part of the the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2019, USAID was required by Congress to include a report on its current sanitation and hygiene programs address these issues, including ensuring the availability of feminine hygiene products.
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. The conference enables the global sharing of new ideas and essons learned, and connects people working on MHM in schools in a wide range of countries.
In some remote parts of Ghana, girls are told that crossing a river during their menstrual period will offend the river deity — so some skip school to avoid incurring the deity’s wrath. In some rural communities in western Nepal, menstruating women are told that their presence jeopardizes crops, water supply, and health — so they go into quarantine each month. In Afghanistan, some women are told that showering during menstruation causes infertility — so they spend their entire cycle without washing themselves.
Every May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) raises awareness and combats taboos associated with menstrual hygiene with the goal of enabling women and girls to achieve their full potential. The theme of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2019—It's Time for Action—not only emphasizes the urgency of this public health issue, but also highlights the transformative power of improved menstrual hygiene to unlock economic and educational opportunities for women and girls.
The annual virtual conference on MHM in schools provides a vital global platform for practitioners and policy makers to share ideas, discuss approaches to common problems, and to assess progress against the five priorities of the ‘MHM in Ten’ agenda. Now in its seventh year, the conference illustrated some of the successes and challenges we face if we are to realise the MHM in Ten priorities that will improve girls’ lives by 2024.
More than half of women globally are of reproductive age, yet many lack access to menstrual hygiene products or sanitation facilities. Myths and stigmas surrounding menstruation cause some women and girls to miss school or work or go into isolation.
USAID recognizes menstrual hygiene management (MHM) as a vital part of the health and dignity of women and girls and provides support to implementing partners to address needs in this area. This resource page contains MHM-related research, reports, and stories featuring the work of USAID and its partners.
Every May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) raises awareness and combats taboos associated with menstrual hygiene with the goal of enabling women and girls to achieve 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.
