Background

Menstrual Health and Hygiene are central aspects of women’s physical health and play a crucial role in determining the overall physical and psychological well-being of women, which in turn, affects their overall abilities to focus on other building blocks of their lives such as personal growth, academics and career development, familial life, and economic opportunities. Poor menstrual health and hygiene can be severely detrimental to the holistic health of women, increasing their risk for bacterial and fungal infections, urinary tract infections, reproductive issues, and even forms of cancer such as cervical cancer. Girls and women need access to affordable and appropriate menstrual hygiene products, information on good practices, and a supportive environment where they can manage their menstruation without shame or embarrassment to manage their menstrual health effectively. 

Globally, approximately 500 million women and girls lack access to resources, products, and infrastructure to manage menstrual hygiene and health. In India, only 48% of women in rural parts of the country use a hygienic method of menstrual protection, whereas in urban parts, this number is almost doubled to 78%. The rural-urban divide in access to menstrual hygiene products in India compounds the existing socio-economic barriers to equal healthcare, placing women in rural and peri-urban parts of the country at a comparative disadvantage.