by Dr. Vineeta Thapa.
Menstruation is a universal biological process, yet for millions worldwide, it remains a source of shame, exclusion, and systemic neglect. Despite progress, stigma and inadequate resources continue to disproportionately affect marginalized groups (persons with disabilities, rural communities, and gender-diverse individuals). Menstrual Hygiene Day (May 28) serves not just as a reminder but as a rallying cry to dismantle barriers denying millions access to safe, dignified menstrual health and hygiene management (MHHM). Ahead of this global observance, the Asian Institute of Technology’s two webinars, for adults on 21 May and children and youth on 22 May, showcased transformative approaches to MHHM and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions. Meanwhile, the ADB Water and Urban Development Forum 2025 (AWUF2025) in Manila (27–30 May) spotlight scalable solutions, with Better with Water (BWW) Cavite project standing out as how localized action can spark transformative shifts.
These events highlight innovations, partnerships, and advocacy aimed at creating a period-friendly world. However, progress demands more than awareness; it requires intersectional solutions that bridge gaps in accessibility, affordability, and cultural acceptance. Menstrual health is not merely a health issue; it is a linchpin for advancing gender equity, climate resilience, social justice, and economic inclusion. Achieving this vision calls for an ecosystem approach where WASH entrepreneurs, sanitation workers, private-sector innovators, practitioners and policymakers collaborate through a Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) lens.
A Ripple Effect of Inequity
Tracing the Evolution of Menstrual Solutions
Prof. Kyoko Kusakabe from the AIT’s Gender and Development Studies (GDS) maps the fraught journey of menstrual product innovation, from cloth rags to modern cups and period underwear, against a backdrop of persistent stigma and misinformation. “Progress has rarely been linear,” she notes. “Breakthroughs like the menstrual cup emerged not just from technology but from compassion-driven collaboration between academia and industry.” She credits women’s empowerment movements, particularly post-1970s, for accelerating research and market growth. Yet, Kusakabe stresses that systemic change requires more than products: “Policy shifts, like the UK’s 2021 VAT repeal on menstrual items, are critical to dismantling menstrual poverty.” Her conclusion? Ending stigma demands a dual focus: advancing inclusive design and normalizing open dialogue through education and legislative reform.
Scaling Impact Through Partnerships
Ina Jurga, International Coordinator of Menstrual Hygiene Day and Managing Director of WASH United based in Germany, the organization that initiated the global advocacy platform in 2014, reflects on its evolution: “This movement is about ensuring every menstruator, regardless of identity, can manage their period safely and without shame.” In 2024, the campaign’s theme “Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld”, focused on eradicating stigma, expanding access to products, and advancing policy. With the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) joining as a partner, menstrual health is gaining recognition as a global priority. The 2023 campaign reached 700 million people globally, a testament to its exponential growth.
Dignity in Displacement
In disaster and conflict zones, menstruation becomes a crisis within a crisis. Alexandra Machado, Global Lead for Water and Climate at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), emphasizes the urgency of menstrual health in emergencies. Operating in 192 countries, IFRC integrates menstrual health into WASH programs, distributing dignity kits with reusable pads, soap, and underwear. Their approach goes beyond distribution: volunteers are trained to provide psychosocial support and menstrual education, while women-friendly spaces offer safe dialogue. “Even in fragile settings, dignity cannot wait,” Machado asserts.
Market-Driven Change
In rural Cambodia, iDE’s market-based strategies bridge menstrual health gaps. Arunima Shrestha, Innovation and Partnerships Manager for WASH team explains: “By embedding menstrual products into existing sanitation supply chains, we reach communities traditional aid misses.” Local entrepreneurs, many women and youth, produce affordable reusable pads, while village agents distribute them alongside toilets and handwashing stations. Community workshops challenge stigma by involving men and boys. Challenges persist affordability and waste management remain hurdles, but iDE’s pilot programs for safe disposal and policy advocacy aim to integrate menstrual health into national WASH agendas.
Three Pillars for Lasting Impact
Joana (Jose) Mott, Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion Lead for Australia’s Water for Women Fund, advocates for a three-pillar approach to menstrual health that transcends product distribution. “Lasting impact requires integrating MHH into WASH systems, driving social behavior change, and reshaping policies,” he explains. Across 15 Asia-Pacific countries, Water for Women partners with governments and NGOs to:
1. Inclusive Infrastructure: Gender- and disability-friendly facilities in schools and public spaces.
2. Social Behavior Change: Training local leaders in Papua New Guinea and Nepal to lead dialogues.
3. Policy Reform: Supporting national guidelines for menstrual health-friendly WASH standards.
“Solutions must prioritize marginalized groups,” Mott stresses. Through the Water for Women Learning Hub, partners share innovations like Nepal’s school facility standards, proving context-specific collaboration drives scalable change.
Human-Centered Design for Dignity in Crisis Zones
Reemi, a social enterprise, reframes period poverty as a crisis of safety and education. Since 2017, they have provided sustainable menstrual care in Gaza, Lebanon, and rural Africa. Nevada Brown, Product and Design Lead at Reemi explains: “Disposable pads clog toilets in refugee camps. Our reusable kits last four years, reducing waste and restoring dignity.” Co-designed with communities, Reemi’s no-touch washing bags address cultural taboos against inserted products in regions like Asia.
Reclaiming Power Through Knowledge
In Thailand, Period Power co-founder Pear Viracha Poolvaraluk partners with UN Ambassador Cindy Bishop to empower girls through menstrual literacy. Their MyCycle Journal, a blend of anatomy lessons and cycle tracking, has reached 2,000 girls since 2021. Workshops in migrant communities feature skits and cup demonstrations. Project Manager Thae Ei Thae Ei, raised in a migrant community, leads efforts in border regions: “Girls here miss school or use leaves. We provide cups and education to break shame.” With a $12,000 fundraising goal, Period Power aims to educate 1,000 migrant girls by 2025.
Inclusive Education to Break Gender Barriers
AIT International School’s Principal Mrs. Oluwayemisi Ayoola Thomas emphasizes gender-inclusive dialogue. Initial MHM sessions were girls-only to foster comfort, but boys will soon join. “Involving everyone normalizes menstruation as a shared experience,” she says. Workshop recordings will be reviewed with male students, reshaping school culture to destigmatize menstrual health.
Creative Advocacy with Menstruation as a Superpower
Save the Children’s Humanitarian WASH Advisor Pier Francesco Donati champions creative education in crisis settings. “We reframe periods as a ‘superpower’ to combat myths,” he shares. This approach is expanding to displaced communities along the Thai-Myanmar border, where girls face extreme barriers. “Creativity isn’t optional, it’s lifesaving,” he stresses.
Transforming Menstrual Health Norms
Better with Water (BWW) is dismantling menstrual stigma in Cavite, Philippines through inclusive education, engaging women, girls, boys, and men in open dialogues. Private sessions empower girls with hygiene knowledge, while boys and men confront myths like bathing taboos in late-afternoon workshops. “We challenge stereotypes by showing menstruation isn’t just a ‘women’s issue’,” says BWW’s Abegail Broso. Local volunteers, trained to build trust and secure parental consent, drive the initiative. “Their role bridges gaps—turning silence into solidarity,” Broso adds. Through community-led efforts, BWW transforms taboos into tools for empowerment.
A Call for Equity and Collaboration
Voravate Chonlasin, Director of UNITAR CIFAL Bangkok and AIT Extension, calls for breaking silos in WASH and menstrual health. “Inequity persists because we fragment efforts,” he asserts. His vision hinges on:
- Integration: Linking WASH and MHM to broader agendas like climate action and economic inclusion.
- Collaboration: Uniting governments, businesses, and communities to co-design solutions with marginalized voices at the table.
- Evidence-Driven Investment: Using data and case studies, such as climate finance models to attract public-private partnerships.
Chonlasin underscores the urgency of equity-centered policies “Businesses must innovate inclusively; governments must prioritize menstrual health in national budgets.” He emphasizes to turn dialogue into action: “Create agencies for collaboration, advocate for policy shifts, and ensure every investment reduces suffering while building a sustainable, just world.”
From CSR to Strategic Imperative
Neglecting menstrual health costs businesses through absenteeism and lost productivity. Conversely, inclusive WASH infrastructure and policies boost retention, brand equity, and employee satisfaction. Businesses can lead by:
1. Driving R&D Innovation by partnering with startups to co-design eco-friendly, culturally attuned products.
2. Investing in Sanipreneurs through fund marginalized entrepreneurs (LGBTQIA+ individuals, sanitation workers) to build inclusive supply chains.
3. Championing Behavior Change using campaigns and allyship with men and boys to dismantle stigma.
4. Integrating Menstrual Health into ESG aligning with climate resilience and equity goals.
A Right, Not a Privilege
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025 must be a wake-up call. The private sector holds unmatched power to shift from charity to leadership, funding Sanipreneurs, embedding menstrual health into ESG, and championing systemic change. As climate risks and demographic shifts reshape societies, menstrual health and inclusive WASH are strategic investments in human capital and economic resilience. Measure what matters: reduced absenteeism, dignified waste management, and equitable policies. Partner with sanitation workers as co-leaders, leverage data-driven campaigns, and align profit with purpose. Inclusive WASH isn’t a cost, it’s a catalyst. Menstrual equity is the bedrock of a just, thriving world. Let this be the era we commit not to products or policies alone, but to dignity, inclusion, and systemic transformation.