World Menstrual Hygiene Day: Covid-19 lockdown impact on menstruating women

Lockdowns, closed borders, shuttered businesses - the coronavirus pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for everyone, including menstruating women. Here are the problems they face and solutions

Every year on May 28, non-governmental organisations, government agencies, the private sector, the media, and individuals come together to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) and highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management (MHM). World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020 theme is ‘Periods in Pandemic’. The idea behind choosing this theme is to highlight how the challenges faced by women during menstruation have worsened due to the ongoing pandemic.

In a tweet, UNICEF said, “Periods don’t stop for pandemics — it’s every girl’s right to manage her period safely and with dignity. #MenstruationMatters #MHDay2020 (sic)."

Coronavirus pandemic impact on menstrual health and hygiene

Lockdowns, closed borders, shuttered businesses – the coronavirus pandemic has a far-reaching consequences for many people, including menstruating women.

Here are 6 facts about periods in the coronavirus pandemic:

1. Menstrual supplies are essential items

Economic disruptions can lead to women and girls losing access to hygiene products. These include sanitary pads and tampons, menstrual cups, reusable napkins, pain medication and soap.

Solution: Governments must ensure these items be declared essential and remain available. 

2. Access to menstrual hygiene products for people in quarantine

It is difficult for patients in hospitals and in quarantine to obtain menstrual hygiene products, according to Unicef.

Solution: Those in charge must address the potential loss of access by ensuring adequate supplies. The healthcare staff need to be trained to sensitively meet these needs.

3. Health workers, too, need menstrual health supplies

Around 70 per cent of healthcare workers are women. To effectively respond to the pandemic, they work long hours under intense pressure. Not only do they need access to menstrual hygiene materials, but also the time and the resources to manage their menstrual health. This is particularly important for front-line health workers who wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Putting on and removing PPE prevents the quick changing of menstrual hygiene materials, leading women to bleed into protective suits, suppress menstruation through the use of oral contraceptive pills, or potentially miss days of work.

4. Poverty makes it harder to access menstrual hygiene supplies

People living in poverty already face barriers to obtaining menstrual hygiene supplies and related health services. With stores and public transport closing, rising costs and increasing economic uncertainty, they are now facing even bigger hurdles. Media reports suggest that women are forced to prioritise food and water to personal care items. 

5. Coronavirus threatens the rights and health of vulnerable people who menstruate

Gender inequality, extreme poverty, humanitarian crises and harmful traditions can turn periods into a time of deprivation and stigma. These vulnerabilities are only increasing under the pandemic.

6. Rumours about menstruation

As education and health services have been disrupted, so has the flow of basic information about menstrual health and hygiene. 

Solution: There's a need for new and creative ways to educate people about menstruation, to dispel rumours and spread positive, accurate information.

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