Managing Menstruation with Dignity: The Hygiene Gap We Must Close

In a world where innovation touches nearly every aspect of life, it’s alarming that millions of girls and women still lack the basic tools and education to manage their periods safely and with dignity. Menstrual hygiene management is more than a conversation about pads and tampons, it's a public health, human rights, and gender equality issue that remains deeply neglected.

Around the globe, menstruation continues to be shrouded in stigma, silence, and misinformation. This silence, coupled with poverty and poor infrastructure, has created a crisis of menstrual hygiene management, one that affects the health, education, and agency of half the world’s population.

Why Menstrual Hygiene Management Matters

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) refers to ensuring that individuals have access to clean menstrual products, safe and private facilities to change and dispose of them, and accurate information about menstrual health. It may sound simple, but for many, it’s a daily struggle.

In countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, girls often miss school because they do not have access to sanitary products or functioning restrooms. Others use makeshift materials like rags, leaves, or even newspaper, risking infections and long-term health consequences. For some, the shame of leaking in class is enough to make them stay home, fall behind, or drop out of school entirely.

The reality of a first period is often far from empowering. Girls are often left unprepared without support, knowledge, or even basic hygiene products.

Stigma, Taboos, and the Burden of Secrecy

At the heart of poor menstrual hygiene management lies a much deeper issue: the stigma surrounding menstruation. In many communities, menstruating women are viewed as impure or dirty. They are prohibited from cooking, entering religious spaces, or even interacting with others. Some are isolated entirely.

This shame doesn’t just hurt emotionally, it creates a dangerous silence that prevents access to resources and information. Without open conversations, myths flourish. Girls may not understand what’s happening to their bodies, leading to fear, anxiety, and unsafe practices.

One of the first steps in improving menstrual hygiene management is breaking these taboos making menstruation a topic that is talked about in homes, classrooms, and public policy forums.

Infrastructure Gaps: When Clean Water and Privacy Are Luxuries

Even when girls have access to sanitary products, the lack of clean toilets, running water, and disposal systems makes managing menstruation an ongoing challenge. Many schools lack basic facilities for girls to change pads, wash their hands, or discard used materials.

In humanitarian settings, refugee camps, disaster zones, and conflict regions, menstrual hygiene management is often completely overlooked. The result? Women and girls improvise in unsafe conditions, increasing their vulnerability to infections and psychological stress.

These gaps in infrastructure are a key part of what makes menstruation a public health issue. MHM must be part of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) planning in all settings from schools to healthcare facilities to emergency shelters.

Education: The Cornerstone of Sustainable Menstrual Health

You cannot manage what you do not understand. Menstrual hygiene management begins with education, teaching girls (and boys) about the menstrual cycle, hygiene practices, and the importance of health and dignity.

Unfortunately, many schools either skip this topic entirely or address it superficially, leaving young people confused or ashamed. In some places, even teachers avoid the subject due to cultural discomfort or lack of training.

Menstrual health education isn’t just about teaching biology; it’s a tool to promote self-worth, autonomy, and equity. When girls understand their cycles and their rights, they can advocate for themselves and others.

Education also empowers communities to challenge harmful myths, push for better policies, and create a culture of support and respect.

Best Practices in Action: What’s Working Around the World

Countries like Scotland have set a global example by offering free menstrual products in schools and public buildings. In Kenya, government programs distribute pads to girls in public schools, reducing absenteeism. NGOs like Girl Power USA are helping fill the gap by providing not just products, but also training on how to make reusable pads, improving sustainability and self-reliance.

These programs work because they treat menstrual hygiene management as a fundamental right, not a privilege. They involve communities, educate everyone (not just girls), and create lasting change.

But these examples are still the exception, not the norm.

The Mental Health Toll of Menstrual Inequality

It’s important to recognize that menstrual hygiene management is not just a physical need, it’s deeply tied to mental well-being. Shame, fear of leakage, bullying, and social exclusion lead to increased stress and anxiety. Some girls even report skipping meals or staying isolated during their periods due to the emotional burden.

Improving access to hygiene products and safe spaces is only one piece of the puzzle. We must also provide emotional education and normalize discussions so that girls feel seen, heard, and supported.

Closing the Hygiene Gap: What Needs to Change

To close the menstrual hygiene management gap, we need action on multiple levels:

Policy reforms that make menstrual products free and accessible
Investment in school infrastructure: toilets, water, and bins
Comprehensive menstrual health education starting in early adolescence
Community-driven outreach to break taboos and shift mindsets
Product innovation that is sustainable, affordable, and culturally appropriate

And above all, we need to recognize that managing periods safely and with dignity is not optional, it’s a right.

Join the Movement for Menstrual Dignity

At Girl Power USA, we believe every girl deserves the tools, education, and support to manage her period with dignity. Our work in underserved communities in Africa and Asia focuses on sustainable solutions, menstrual education, and empowerment through economic independence.

Explore how we’re building menstrual equity at Girl Power USA and join a growing movement to end period poverty and transform lives through education and dignity.

What Every Girl Deserves: Safe and Inclusive Menstrual Hygiene Management