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The journey through adolescence can be a challenging one for girls worldwide. Still, in many developing countries, a natural biological process—menstruation—often becomes an obstacle to something as fundamental as education. In countries like India, South Africa, and others across the developing world, millions of girls face disruption in their schooling every month simply because they are menstruating. The reasons are many, but they all come down to one thing: the lack of adequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and the societal taboos that shroud menstruation in silence.
The Reality: Missing School Due to Periods
Across the globe, menstruation affects girls in different ways, but for many in developing countries, it leads to them missing significant amounts of school. In India, for instance, about 23% of girls drop out of school once they start menstruating due to a lack of access to sanitary products, and proper facilities, and the stigma surrounding periods.
In South Africa, a survey found that over 30% of girls sometimes stay home from school because they don't have access to sanitary products like pads or tampons. This is known as "period poverty," a global issue where girls and women cannot afford menstrual hygiene products, often leading to embarrassment, isolation, and absenteeism.
Barriers to Education During Menstruation
Several factors combine to make menstruation a significant barrier to education for girls:
Lack of Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products
Many families in developing countries live in poverty, making sanitary pads and tampons a luxury they cannot afford. In countries like India, where 70% of women cannot afford sanitary products, girls resort to using unhygienic alternatives like rags, leaves, or even mud during their periods. This puts them at risk for infections and discomfort, leading them to miss school for days every month.
Inadequate Sanitation Facilities
Even when girls have access to menstrual products, many schools in developing countries lack proper sanitation facilities, including clean toilets and private areas to change pads. In Uganda, for example, only about 28% of schools have facilities that meet basic menstrual hygiene standards. Without private, clean, and safe spaces to manage their periods, girls are forced to stay home during menstruation.
Menstrual Stigma and Taboos
Menstruation is a taboo subject in many cultures, especially in developing countries. Girls in Nepal are often sent to sleep in “menstrual huts” during their periods, and in India, menstruating girls may be prohibited from entering kitchens or attending religious ceremonies. This societal stigma can make girls feel ashamed and uncomfortable, which, in turn, affects their participation in school. The silence around menstruation also means that girls are often unprepared for their first period, making the experience even more traumatic.
Lack of Education About Menstruation
In many developing countries, schools do not teach girls about menstruation or how to manage their periods. In Sub-Saharan Africa, girls often don’t know what menstruation is before they get their first period, leading to confusion and fear. Without the proper knowledge, they are less likely to feel comfortable attending school while menstruating.
The Impact on Education and Beyond
The cumulative effect of these barriers is that girls are left behind academically. Missing a few days of school every month due to periods may not seem like much, but over a year, it can lead to a significant loss of learning time. Studies show that girls who miss school during menstruation are more likely to fall behind in their studies, lose interest in continuing their education, and eventually drop out altogether.
Dropping out of school not only affects girls' academic achievements but also limits their future opportunities. Girls who leave school early are less likely to find stable, well-paying jobs, and they are more likely to marry early and have children at a younger age. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty and inequality in many developing countries.
Global Efforts to Improve Menstrual Hygiene Management
Addressing the issue of menstrual hygiene is critical to keeping girls in school and ensuring that they have the same opportunities as boys to succeed academically. Fortunately, several initiatives are helping to break the cycle of period poverty and menstrual stigma.
In India, several NGOs and grassroots organizations are working to distribute affordable sanitary products and educate girls about menstrual hygiene. The government’s “Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram” (RKSK) program also focuses on adolescent health, including menstrual hygiene management, by distributing subsidized sanitary napkins in rural areas.
In South Africa, initiatives like the “Keep a Girl in School” campaign provide free sanitary products to school girls and work to dispel myths surrounding menstruation. Efforts like these are crucial to reducing absenteeism and helping girls stay in school.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, programs like UNICEF’s WASH in Schools are working to improve sanitation facilities, ensuring that girls have access to clean toilets and private spaces to manage their periods with dignity.
The Way Forward
To truly eliminate the barriers menstruation poses to girls’ education in developing countries, a multi-pronged approach is needed. Governments, NGOs, and the private sector must work together to:
Ensure Access to Affordable Menstrual Products: Sanitary products should be affordable and accessible to every girl, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Improve School Sanitation: Schools need proper sanitation facilities, including private toilets and clean water, to ensure girls can manage their periods safely and with dignity.
Educate Both Genders About Menstruation: Menstruation is not just a “girls’ issue”; boys, too, should be educated about menstruation to help break down the stigma and support their female peers.
Challenge Cultural Taboos: Communities need to have open conversations about menstruation to eliminate the shame and silence surrounding this natural process.
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