MENSTRUAL hygiene management is one of the most important saviours for women in this century. It saves lives by preventing infection and reducing the cost of hospital stays and medicine expenses, thus reducing mortality rates.
If women and girls could get proper sanitation facilities with all the hygiene management needs, their overall lives would be better. It could also positively impact the productivity of women in the workplace, and help women鈥檚 empowerment.
A mother is the nucleus of the family. A mother can do most of the household tasks and she can do her official duties as well with full confidence. A woman just knows how to balance life, but during menstruation, it is difficult to get all the facilities she needs to maintain her health and hygiene. It is very difficult, especially for the lower socioeconomic groups in low-income countries. Most of the girls and women do not have access to clean water and soap and they do not even have a private space in a toilet to change and dispose of their used sanitary products. Most of the women in rural areas still cannot afford a sanitary pad or napkin due to high expenses. Each and every family member should be supportive and they should show empathy and care during menstruation. Because it is really difficult to be confident and strong when mood swings hamper and abdominal cramping causes discomfort. Understanding the situation with care is a strong mental support that can help women feel comfortable. In the old days, there were a few options for women and girls who were menstruating or having periods. They used wads of cloth or rags and they were discouraged from leaving their house at that time. The first disposal pads were made from wood pulp bandages by nurses in France. This came commercially for purchase in 1988, called the Southball Pad.
Later on, Listers towels came from Johnson & Johnson in 1896.
Later on, due to an uncomfortable feeling, this product name was changed to NUPAK, which did not describe the product. A black lady named Mary Beatrice Davidson invented the sanitary belt, which helped keep the pad in place. This invention was very helpful for women. A company that wanted to pick up the patent for manufacturing them lost interest just because she was black. It took 30 years for its availability on the market. Davidson鈥檚 success and invention were curtailed due to racial and gender discrimination. This wonderful invention was one of the most relaxing things for women and girls.
We should know and remember that menstrual health is a fundamental aspect of human rights, dignity and public health. To create awareness and share knowledge to break taboos, May 28 is dedicated to observing World Menstrual Day. Just like other countries, Bangladesh also celebrates this day with full spirit.
This year, the theme was 鈥楾ogether for #Period Friendly World鈥�.
In support of menstrual health hygiene, what women and girls need the most are: appropriate menstrual products and materials (pads, clothes); additional supportive materials like soap water bucket or bin for storage, washing and drying; basic menstrual health education; access to safe and private toilet and bathing facilities with water for changing, washing and drying menstrual products; and disposal options of menstrual waste that are convenient and private.
We have found that, especially in poorer settings, the methods of menstrual hygiene are often unhygienic and inconvenient. In rural areas, girls are usually used to using reusable clothes rather than disposal pads. This is mainly due to social taboo, a lack of knowledge, and lastly, financial reasons.
Still, the cost of a sanitary napkin is out of range for low-income groups.
Reusable Material or clothes, if used, should be clean and properly washed with soap and water and later dried in sunlight and open air.
But for poor people, it is never easy to maintain as instructed, and due to a lack of access to clean water and soap, an unhygienic practice is mostly ongoing. Due to poor menstrual hygiene management, they are being affected by different infectious diseases. This, in turn, increases the cost-benefit ratio. The diseases and health problems they usually face due to these inadequate facilities are: urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, fungal infection and pelvic inflammatory diseases.
When women get infected with any of these diseases, medical expenses increase. Hospital stays, medicine bills, doctor visits, and work are all affected. Health and finances both face a critical crisis. This is also to understand that menstrual hygiene management is not the same in different group perspectives.
Practically, menstrual hygiene management depends mainly on the following issues: socioeconomic status, local traditions and practices, belief and ability, personal preferences, and easy access to water and sanitation resources.
The following steps can help women and girls be comfortable in a soothing, period-friendly environment.: Do not forget to wash your hands before and after using a menstrual pad; remember to change your menstrual product regularly every 4鈥�6 hours; always try to wear loose breathable clean clothes; clean and wash your undergarments with soap and clean water, dry them in sunlight and open air; keep your private parts clean; if possible take a shower every day; eat healthy fresh food and keep yourself hydrated.
Most of the countries are more aware of this issue than before, and they are trying their best to meet the requirements in their respective areas. In our country, educational institutions often do not provide access to clean water and toilet facilities with privacy for menstrual hygiene management.
Among many countries, the most surprising country is Scotland. Scotland is recognised as the first country to make period products free for all. Their attitude and respect for women and girls are really praiseworthy. They strongly believe that a period-friendly environment for girls and women is a human right.
Bangladesh has also come a long way and achieved some good progress in menstrual hygiene management so far. In Bangladesh, many organisations, both international and local, are working together to create a period-friendly environment.
The country is also on the way to showing more and more achievements on this issue. An important milestone is the publication of the National Menstrual Hygiene Management Strategy in 2021.
The five guiding principles of national strategy are:
鈥� Menstrual hygiene management information, materials, and facilities should be made a fundamental right for girls and women with a view to empowering them.
鈥� The private sector should be given access to bring MHM products to the market that are affordable and easily available all over the country.
鈥� Male engagement should be facilitated to create a friendly environment for MHM practices by girls and women.
鈥� Gender-friendly policies are to be adopted and MHM mainstreamed in all relevant sectoral strategies and activities.
鈥� No girl or woman should be left behind.
Bangladesh has already had a very strong impact on this MHM topic. It is our pride to mention that out of 46 nations, Bangladesh is one of only two to have submitted a report for the Joint Monitoring Programme 2021 menstrual health indicators.
According to the 2018 National Hygiene Survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 97 per cent of women had an accessible location to wash and change during their menstrual periods. In 2014, there were an average of three days per month when a girl student missed school because there were insufficient menstrual hygiene facilities. By 2019, this average had dropped to 2.5 days per month. In 2014, almost 85 per cent of women used old fabric for their period. By 2019, that number had dropped to 63 per cent.
The government should prioritise the following issues to create a period-friendly environment: ensuring quality WASH facilities; subsidising local sanitary pad production; training teachers in gender-sensitive curriculum; and launching awareness campaigns.
