Puberty Education and Menstrual Hygiene Management

Management of menstruation can present substantial challenges to girls in low-income settings.

This dispatch aims to share lessons learned from the process of developing instruments to measure school participation, stress, and self-efficacy – outcomes that qualitatively link to girls’ experiences managing menstruation in school.

Improvements in childhood nutrition increase schooling and economic returns in later life in a virtuous cycle. However, better nutrition also leads to an earlier onset of menstruation (menarche).

This booklet is aimed at helping adolescents better understand important issues in their life related to early and unintended pregnancy (EUP) – including puberty, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and relationships.

This guidance is structured into five sections. Section 1: A global opportunity This section explains the global interest in supporting MHH through development and humanitarian programming under the SDGs.

This document provides guidance for staff from UNICEF Supply Division and Programme Division (WASH, Education, and Protection sections) on the selection and procurement of appropriate materials and supplies for menstrual hygiene management, particularly during humanitarian response.

Poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM) among schoolgirls in low income countries affects girls' dignity, self-esteem, and schooling. Hygienic, effective, and sustainable menstrual products are required.

Impact evaluations focused on school absenteeism commonly use school records of untested quality or expensive spot-check data.