Providing sustainable sanitation services for all in WASH interventions through a menstrual hygiene management approach

A gender-inclusive approach to sanitation through Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is needed to ensure that the benefits of sanitation and hygiene are truly universal. The key takeaways from this brief are: (1) the need to do contextual research before proposing an intervention, ideally by working with a gender specialist; and (2) the value of working through Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions to integrate the key pillars of MHM. This note presents some of the knowledge gained through recent research findings on the topic. As MHM cuts across many development sectors, the topic is relevant to development practitioners looking for practical resources to integrate into interventions in the water sector, but also in health, education, social protection, community development, and other related development programs. In recent years, issues deriving from the lack of adequate MHM have been coming to the fore in the WASH sector, particularly in relation to girls reportedly missing school because of poor MHM. The extent to which women and girls' activities are affected by menstruation varies, depending on the context, but remains significant throughout their life, particularly in low-income communities.