Social Protection
Social ProtectionThis rapid review focuses on identifying evidence on the secondary impacts of COVID-19 on women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It aims to enable a greater understanding of the unique circumstances of women and girls in the region, which could assist with the provision of effective support throughout the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath…. Read more
This background paper presents considerations on how the COVID-19 pandemic is accentuating existing vulnerabilities of populations forcibly displaced by war (refugees, asylum-seekers, internally-displaced and stateless persons), in settings across East Africa and the Middle East. In addition to the devastating health threat the pandemic poses, lockdown measures imposed by governments to reduce transmission are having… Read more
Transnational Migrants, Informal Workers, and People Living in Informal Settlements This brief presents considerations for COVID-19 management among structurally vulnerable populations in Southeast Asia, including transnational migrants, people working in the informal economy, and people living in informal urban and peri-urban settlements. These vulnerable groups are generally poorly understood, ignored, or left out of formal… Read more
This study examined the knowledge and practices of adolescent school girls in Kano, Nigeria around menstruation and menstrual hygiene. It argues that the majority had fair knowledge of menstruation, although deficient in specific knowledge areas. Institutionalising sexuality education in Nigerian schools; developing and disseminating sensitive adolescent reproductive health massages targeted at both parents and their… Read more
Menstrual health is one of the major areas of concern in reproductive health affecting a large number of women, starting from their adolescence. Menstrual hygiene and management has direct consequences on fertility and reproductive tract infections respectively. This study aimed to: investigate the availability of sanitary napkins in the operational villages of Block Chinhat in… Read more
The market for menstrual hygiene products in developing countries is expanding rapidly, driven both by private demand and by public efforts to improve girls’ educational outcomes as well as women’s health and dignity. However, many girls and women cannot consistently afford the monthly cost of disposable menstrual products and revert to less hygienic solutions when… Read more
Little is known about how menstruation is managed in low-income settings and whether existing sanitation systems meet women’s needs. Using the ‘Photovoice’ method with 21 women in participatory workshops and in-depth interviews, data was collected on menstrual hygiene management in three sites in Durban, South Africa. All women reported using disposable sanitary pads. Although they… Read more
This resource aims to provide a comprehensive guide on menstrual hygiene that supports the development of context-specific information for improving practices for women and girls in lower- and middle-income countries. It brings together examples of good menstrual hygiene practice from around the world, related to policies, strategies, programmes and interventions, so that knowledge can be shared and adapted to… Read more
An increasing number of studies have found that girls in low-income settings miss or struggle at school during menstruation if they are unable to manage their menstrual hygiene effectively. This study explores the menstrual hygiene practices and knowledge of girls at rural government primary schools in the Rukungiri district in Uganda and assesses the extent… Read more
Managing menstruation requires the use of disposable sanitary towels. Disposable sanitary towels are the most frequently used methods to manage menstruation. In resource-poor settings, they are often too expensive and unaffordable to most adolescent girls and women who need them. Consequently these women and adolescent girls resort to unhygienic methods. Lack of access to sanitary… Read more
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is a largely overlooked issue in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector. Every day, millions of menstruating girls and women in low-income countries struggle to find clean water for washing, private places for changing and adequate blood absorbing materials. This study aims to explore the difficulties experienced by schoolgirls in… Read more