This is the first of a three-part series focusing on issues
surrounding water, sanitation and hygiene.
In international development, this issues of water,
sanitation and hygiene are brought under the collective term ‘WASH’. These
three factors are inextricably linked and play a vital role in the progress of
the Millennium Development Goals. WASH issues create a huge impact on the
global burden of disease. This burden is placed disproportionately on women and
girls. It is therefore fitting that the first of this three part series focuses
on the intersection between sanitations and women’s health, in particular
menstrual hygiene.
The first issue surround menstrual hygiene is that it is
largely a taboo topic. This makes this issue very hard to resolve. How can a
large global issue be solved if there is no open dialogue about it?
One of the key problems is that women in developing nations
don’t have access, can’t afford, or are too embarrassed to purchase items such
as tampons and sanitary pads. In fact, in some cases ‘natural materials such as
mud, leaves, dung or animal skins are used to manage the menstrual flow’
(UNESCO 2013, Puberty Education and Menstrual Hygiene Management). There are indeed many issues surrounding
menstrual hygiene.
Society’s stigmatisation of menstruation is not limited to
developing nations. Just last month, menstrual hygiene was brought to attention
in Australia in light of the tampon tax. The movement against the so-called ‘tampon
tax’ gained momentum as women around Australia discovered that tampons carry
10% GST. Unlike other products such as sunscreen and condoms (which are not
taxed) tampons are deemed ‘non-essential’ and therefore carry GST.
Outraged,
this resulted in women across the nation taking to an online petition which
gained 90,000 signatories. Ultimately, this call for action was rejected by
Treasurer Joe Hockey. But, the tampon tax isn’t just an issue of politics. It
reveals a fundamental flaw in the way society thinks about menstruation.
The good news is that dialogue on the issue is opening up.
This year marked the second year ‘Menstrual Hygiene Day’ took place. Not-for-profits
and bodies such as the United Nations, are increasingly collecting data so we
can better understand the problem. There are also an increasing number of social enterprises working towards solving this complex, multi-faceted challenge.
So why should you open up the dialogue around menstruation
hygiene?
Because it impacts the lives of women and girls around the
world. Period.
If you want to learn more about menstrual hygiene check out this
report by Water Aid.
Until next time,
Danushi
- 04:49
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