Menstrual health touches upon a great variety of rights, including the right to health, education, work, housing, non-discrimination and gender equality, water, sanitation, freedom of religion or belief, safe and healthy working conditions and to take part in cultural and public life without discrimination.
This document was commissioned by UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office and the Africa Coalition on Menstrual Health and focuses on menstrual health as an interlinked aspect of international human rights. It argues that menstrual health should be viewed as a human right, emphasizing dignity, complete bodily autonomy, and active participation in various aspects of life, rather than simply managing menstruation invisibly. We highlight the importance of gender-transformative approaches to support gender equality by explicitly addressing the underlying causes of gender inequalities, discriminatory norms, and insufficient support for women's agency.
The brief identifies gaps in the existing evidence and provides recommendations for future research, policy development, and interventions. These include the need for more inclusive data collection, research on the interlinkages between menstrual health and various development areas, strategies to combat stigma, and policies that consider the needs of menstruators throughout their life cycle
