Menstrual hygiene in South Asia: a neglected issue for WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) programmes

Abstract

In total, women spend around six to seven years of their lives menstruating. A key priority for women and girls is to have the necessary knowledge, facilities and cultural environment to manage menstruation hygienically, and with dignity. Yet, the importance of menstrual hygiene management is mostly neglected by development practitioners within the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) sector, and other related sectors such as reproductive health. This article explores the reasons why menstrual hygiene management is not generally included in WASH initiatives, the social and health impacts of this neglect on women and girls, and provides examples of successful approaches to tackling menstrual hygiene in WASH in the South Asia region.

Keywords:

• gender
• water
• sanitation
• hygiene
• menstrual hygiene
• South Asia

Notes

1. Water and sanitation coverage data, respectively, are 80 per cent and 36 per cent for Bangladesh, 89 per cent and 28 per cent for India and 89 per cent and 27 per cent for Nepal (UNICEF and World Health Organization 2008).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Thérèse Mahon

Thérèse Mahon is the Asia Regional Programme Officer at WaterAid, working with WaterAid's programmes in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan

Maria Fernandes

Maria Fernandes joined WaterAid in 2003 as a Programme Officer at WaterAid in India's Regional Office in Bhopal