Menstrual Hygiene Management among Schoolgirls in Eastern Province of Zambia – Qualitative Research Final Report

Download Menstrual Hygiene Management among Schoolgirls in Eastern Province of Zambia – Qualitative Research Final Report

Menstruation is a natural physiological process for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age in which blood is discharged through the uterus and flows out through the vagina monthly for approximately two to seven days. The practical challenge of managing menstruation in low-income
settings is compounded with socio-cultural factors that include negative perceptions of menses. For far too long, the subject of poor menstrual hygiene in these settings has been neglected and overlooked, not only by the water sector, but by the health and education sectors as well (House et al 2013). Although the topic is finally gaining traction in the international development community, the lives of girls and women continue to be adversely affected by a range of barriers that inhibit their ability to practice acceptable menstrual hygiene management (MHM).