Collaborators from around the world have developed a Priority List of recommended indicators to monitor MHH for adolescent girls across priority domains. They are intended to enable comparability across countries and over time.
Sudan
EmergencyOn April 15, 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began a series of attacks on each other on the right to rule the country. Thousands have already been reported killed, in parallel with a large migration crisis that has seen Sudanese fleeing externally and internally.
Research Paper on the Nexus between Menstrual Discrimination and Child Marriage
Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation and the Radha Paudel FoundationThis study is undertaken to examine the connections between child marriage and menstrual discrimination in policies and practices at national, regional and global levels.
Improving Menstrual Hygiene Management for Rohingya Adolescent Girls in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Pathfinder InternationalSince 2017, approximately 867,000 Rohingya have fled violence in Myanmar and sought refuge in Bangladesh. In an emergency and humanitarian setting such as this, women and girls have specific needs that are often unmet. One of the most immediate—and least talked about—needs is support for menstrual hygiene management (MHM). To address this gap, Pathfinder implemented a pilot project—Improving Menstrual Hygiene Management in Emergencies for Rohingya Adolescent Girls in Cox’s Bazar—from October 2020 to April 2021 in Blocks C and D of Camp-22. This brief provides an update on core activities, results, and recommendations for future implementation in Cox’s Bazar and for pilots or programs in similar settings.
The Ugandan government understands that the journey towards menstrual equity is a joint effort, requiring partnership and collaboration across sectors. That is why in April, the Ministry of Education and Sport (MOES) Gender Equity and Budgeting Unit convened a range of stakeholders to provide feedback on their National Strategic Draft Plan (NSP) for Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) to increase buy-in and commitment to prioritize and fund MHH programming.
Ipas released a new set of abortion care videos designed to better train health care providers to improve their abortion care and help women safely self-manage their abortion using pills. There are 11 videos for health workers and three videos for patients. These videos were filmed in facilities in Africa and Asia and are consistent with the latest clinical guidance from WHO and Ipas.
Pilot Program at Uganda Refugee Settlement Improves Delivery of SRHR Services
Center for Reproductive HealthThe Center for Reproductive Rights and CARE International in Uganda released their report on the pilot program they launched in 2019 to improve the delivery of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services at one of Uganda’s largest refugee settlements. The approach succeeded in bringing refugee and host women and girls closer to decisions that impact their lives and provided a pathway to solutions for complex SRHR issues in humanitarian settings.
UNFPA raises the bar for quality menstrual products in humanitarian settings
UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR and MHMiE WGIn an effort to increase the quality and variety of menstrual products offered by humanitarian actors, UNFPA led and developed the quality specifications for menstrual products with support from UNICEF and UNHCR on behalf of the Menstrual Hygiene Management in Emergencies (MHMiE) working group. UNFPA and UNICEF, with the support of UNHCR, deployed their extensive quality assurance and supply chain management expertise to develop the most recent global quality specifications for disposable menstrual pads, reusable menstrual pads, and menstrual cups and tampons.
Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) Process Evaluation Tools (Revised 2022)
IAWG & Women’s Refugee CommissionThe Minimum Initial Service Package for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Crisis Situations (MISP) is a set of priority lifesaving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and activities to be implemented at the onset of every humanitarian emergency to prevent excess SRH-related morbidity and mortality. These tools are intended to evaluate the extent of MISP implementation across all organizations and in as many settings as necessary.