Editor’s note: This blog is also available in French.

May 28th, globally recognized as Menstrual Hygiene Day, is a powerful reminder to break the silence, challenge stigma, and advocate for menstrual health, dignity, and equity for all. Yet, while awareness of this day has grown, the solutions offered often remain narrowly focused on one aspect: the distribution of sanitary pads.

Menstruation: A Natural Process, Still Surrounded by Shame

Menstruation is a natural biological process and a key milestone in the journey through adolescence. Yet millions of girls around the world are unaware or unprepared for their first period, according to a joint UNICEF and WHO report. The lack of accurate, age-appropriate information—compounded by deeply rooted cultural taboos—often turns this natural transition into a source of confusion, fear, and shame.

In many communities across Africa, menstruation remains a subject shrouded in silence. Girls are discouraged from talking about their periods, and cultural beliefs often label them as “impure” during menstruation. Some girls are told they cannot participate in sports, touch food, or attend religious or community gatherings. These myths and restrictions severely affect girls’ self-esteem, health, mobility, and confidence.

When Periods Disrupt Education

According to the 2023 UNICEF and WHO report Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools 2000–2023: Special Focus on Menstrual Health, many schools—especially in rural or underserved communities—lack clean water, private and safe toilets, and access to affordable or emergency sanitary products. Girls who begin menstruating unexpectedly often have no way to manage their periods with dignity, forcing many to miss school during their periods, fall behind academically, or drop out altogether.

The physical challenges don’t end there. Many girls suffer silently through menstrual pain without access to pain relief, guidance, or even a basic understanding of what is happening in their bodies. They endure cramps, discomfort, and emotional distress—often in environments where menstruation is considered taboo and shameful.

The Missing Link: Educating Boys

To make matters worse, boys are frequently excluded from conversations about puberty and menstruation. A study conducted among adolescent boys in selected schools in Ghana revealed widespread negative sociocultural beliefs and poor attitudes toward menstruation among adolescent boys, with 55.2% holding negative beliefs and 52.7% exhibiting poor attitudes.  This lack of understanding often results in teasing and mockery from boys, reinforcing a culture of stigma. For girls, this social pressure leads to internalizing the idea that menstruation is something to hide, apologize for, or endure in silence.

The Need for a Holistic, Community-Centred Approach

In response to these challenges, many well-meaning initiatives focus on distributing sanitary pads—often as a one-time or irregular intervention. But while this is important, it’s not enough.

According to UNICEF and WHO report, in sub-Saharan Africa, only 1 in 8 schools (12%) provide menstrual materials for free or for purchase. Without reliable, ongoing access to menstrual products, girls remain vulnerable.

At Global Fund for Children, we believe that advancing menstrual health goes beyond product distribution. It requires a holistic, sustained approach that transforms mindsets, builds knowledge, and shifts harmful cultural narratives.

In West Africa, we are working closely with our local partners to design and implement structured and participatory programs that equip both girls and boys with comprehensive, age-appropriate information on sexual and reproductive health.

These programs go beyond menstrual hygiene to help adolescent girls and boys gain a deeper understanding of:

• The physical, emotional, and social changes that occur during puberty and adolescence
• The biological processes behind menstruation and sperm production
• The menstrual cycle and its connection to reproductive health
• Practical ways to manage menstruation with dignity, confidence, and pride
• The role of boys as allies in creating supportive environments for girls during their menstrual periods
• The importance of consent, setting boundaries, building healthy relationships, and making informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health

In Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, for example, we supported partners to design month-long programs—both in-person and virtual—dedicated to body awareness, puberty education, menstrual hygiene, and boys’ engagement. These sessions create safe, inclusive spaces where adolescent girls and boys can reflect, ask questions, and learn from one another.

Girls have expressed relief and empowerment at being able to talk openly about their periods—often for the first time. Boys, in turn, gain empathy and understanding, helping them become allies in breaking the stigma.

Our partners also work with parents, teachers, and community and religious leaders to break the cycle of silence across generations. When adults are informed and supportive, they help foster a ripple effect, nurturing communities where menstruation is no longer seen as shameful—but as a normal, healthy part of life.

Beyond Pads: A Call for Holistic Menstrual Health Solutions

While distributing pads is a vital and necessary intervention, it is not enough. What if we went beyond pad distribution and focused on creating environments where girls feel safe, informed, and proud of their bodies?

Here’s what going beyond pads could look like:

• Integrating menstrual health education into school curricula—for both girls and boys;
• Training teachers and community leaders to speak about menstruation with empathy and factual information;
• Ensuring access to safe WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities in all schools;
• Providing pain relief support, mental health resources, and the space for girls to speak openly about their experiences;
• Engaging boys, families, community and religious leaders to challenge myths and taboos around menstruation.

Reimagining Menstrual Hygiene Day

On this Menstrual Hygiene Day let us reimagine menstrual health education. Let’s shift from product-based charity to empowerment-based programs—those that combine practical support with knowledge-building, mindset shifts, and community engagement.

Going beyond the distribution of pads means upholding girls’ dignity, affirming their rights, and creating a future where no girl is left behind because of a natural part of her body.

Global Fund for Children provides flexible funding and tailored capacity strengthening support to 13 community-based organizations across four French- and English-speaking countries in West Africa. These grassroots partners work with and for children, adolescents, and young people, placing them at the center of their initiatives to advance their rights, amplify their voices, and promote their holistic well-being.