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

Abstract

Having access to sufficient quantities of safe water, access to a private and clean place to defecate, living in an environment free from human excreta and other harmful waste, and being able to behave hygienically, are basic requirements essential for health and dignity for all. In development sectors, water, sanitation and hygiene are often brought together under the term WASH.These three broad areas are clearly interlinked; for example, without effective sanitation water sources may be at risk of microbiological contamination; many sanitation systems rely on water for flushing, cleaning and transporting human waste; and without improved hygiene behaviours, such as hand-washing after defecation and before eating, the health benefits of access to sanitation will be negated. The WASH sector comprises a diverse range of approaches, including (but not limited to) water supply, water treatment, household and community sanitation, school water and sanitation, solid waste management, sewerage, and hygiene promotion.The links between access to water and sanitation and achieving development goals for environmental sustainability, health, education, poverty reduction and gender equality have been established (WaterAid 2007). Yet the WASH sector is neglected by donor and developing country governments, in relation to other sectors. For instance, although global aid for health and education has been progressively increasing the proportion of aid being allocated to WASH has decreased. In 1997, water and sanitation received 10 per cent of aid that was allocated to specific sectors, but by 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.

Practices of Managing Menstrual Hygiene by Girls in Public Boarding Secondary Schools - The Case of the Hhohho Region of Swaziland

“…Since menstruation is a natural event, a key priority for women and girls is to have the necessary knowledge, facilities and cultural environment to manage it hygienically and with dignity. However, the importance of menstrual hygiene management is mostly neglected by development practitioners within the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) [2] and other related sectors such as reproductive health practitioners [3][4][5].…”

Non-communicable diseases in Indian slums: re-framing the Social Determinants of Health

“…Mahon and Fernandes [34] argued that the menstrual hygiene of women and girls is a neglected issue within water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in slums. Using the experiences of WaterAid in Nepal and India for their case study, they identified the religious and cultural taboos that fuel negative beliefs and behaviours towards menstruation in the region, e.g.…”

Cross-sectional interview-based study on profile of menstrual cycles and menstrual hygiene among undergraduate medical students in a metropolitan city

“…11 A key priority for women and girls is to have the necessary knowledge, facilities and cultural environment to manage menstruation hygienically. 32 This interviewbased study was limited to medical students of one institution and it was not possible to verify the selfreported data provided by the respondents. A larger multi-institutional study would be advantageous for devising interventional programmes for undergraduate medical students.…”