Why Menstrual Hygiene Day Matters Now More Than Ever

Every year, on May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day is commemorated to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene, ensure the availability of menstrual products for all, and break the stigmas associated with menstruation. This day serves as a reminder that menstruation is a natural biological process experienced by girls, women, transgender men, and non-binary persons. 

Despite its universality, menstruation is often surrounded by societal taboos and stigmas. The choice of May 28 for this observance is symbolic: the average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, with menstruation typically occurring for five days. Thus, the 28th day of the fifth month is fittingly designated as Menstrual Hygiene Day.

Theme of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024

The theme for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024 is "Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld." This theme envisions a world where menstruation is free of stigma and taboos, and everyone has access to necessary products, education, and period-friendly infrastructure. By educating people about the menstrual cycle and promoting the use of menstrual hygiene products, we can empower individuals to manage their sexual and reproductive health effectively. This day also serves to inspire the use of menstrual hygiene products as preventative measures against various illnesses.

Access to Safe Menstrual Products

Period poverty requires numerous forms, but the essence stays the same: the inability to buy and access critical menstruation products, sanitation facilities, and menstrual health education. Despite being a natural biological occurrence, menstruation causes severe discomfort for many people, affecting their lives, infringing on their rights, and limiting their freedoms. Every month, over two billion people worldwide struggle with menstruation, yet for many, it becomes a hardship rather than a natural bodily process.

Women frequently do not have access to sufficient sanitary napkins and are forced to use cloth, which may not be sanitary. Improper restroom facilities worsen the problem. Without adequate awareness, unsafe products are used, compromising menstrual health.

Menstruation, a natural biological phenomenon that affects 24% to 26% of the world's population aged 15 to 49. Individuals who have an average menstrual cycle of 35 years will need between 15,000 and 20,000 disposable sanitary pads or vaginal tampons over their lifespan. This indicates that around 300 million women and transgender, non-binary people menstruate daily, for a total of 1.8 billion every month. Unfortunately, period poverty affects almost 500 million people, primarily those in low-middle-income and low-income families, due to a lack of safe and sanitary menstruation products.

This lack of access is often rooted in discrimination and inequality, exacerbating health problems such as stress and anxiety. Poor menstrual hygiene can lead to a range of health issues, including urinary infections, fungal infections, and reproductive tract infections, which can, in severe cases, cause infertility.

Menstrual products, which are crucial for maintaining hygiene and comfort during menstruation, tend to be unreasonably expensive, placing them out of reach for marginalised people. Gender-neutral regulations and tax rules worsen the problem as they reinforce the notion that menstruation hygiene is a luxury rather than a fundamental right.

Besides financial constraints, limited access to sanitation facilities exacerbates period poverty. Surprisingly, more than 1.5 billion people globally lack basic sanitary amenities, denying women and girls private spaces to manage their menstruation hygienically.

Health Concerns 

Poor menstrual health can cause reproductive tract infections, such as bacterial vaginosis or vulvovaginal candidiasis. It also makes these women more susceptible to HIV infection. Some girls end up using dirty clothes, newspapers or even grass as a replacement to sanitary napkins. It can contribute to menstrual disorders as well as improper menstrual cycles. Just as maintaining hygiene of any other part of the body is important, vaginal hygiene must also be given equal attention. 

Impact on Education

According to NGO Dasra, which was published in 2019, 23 million girls in India drop out of school annually due to a lack of proper menstrual hygiene management facilities, which include the availability of sanitary pads and information about menstruation. Often, the fear of being noticed by fellow students during menstruation forces them to try and hide away.

The lack of safe and private toilets in schools and workplaces, along with the stigma associated with menstruation, which is perceived as unclean or impure, exacerbates the issues faced by menstrual individuals, frequently resulting in absenteeism and social marginalisation.

Risks of Poor Menstrual Hygiene

Poor menstrual hygiene can have serious health consequences.

• For instance, using unclean sanitary pads can lead to infections and potentially cause infertility. 
• Prolonged usage of the same pad or cloth is also detrimental to the body. It is usually advised to change pads every 6 hours. 
• If cloth pads or menstrual cups are being used then care should be taken about cleaning them properly after each use.
• Access to clean water also correlates with healthy menstrual practices. 
• Additionally, not washing hands with soap after changing sanitary pads can lead to yeast infections or Hepatitis B. It's equally important to wash hands before changing pads to prevent infections.
• Moreover, improper washing techniques during menstruation can cause health issues. Washing from back to front, for instance, can transfer bacteria from the bowel to the vagina, leading to infections. It is essential to wash from front to back to avoid such risks.

Menstruation must be treated as a subject of importance and the taboo around it should be broken. Awareness and accessibility form the cornerstone of the narrative of menstrual hygiene.

Views expressed by the author are their own