Menstrual Hygiene Challenges in Public Toilets: A Gendered Perspective on Sanitation and Dignity

The subject of Menstruation is a complex combination of biology, gender and social justice. While approximately 300 million women and girls around the world experience menstruation every day, there has been little consideration of menstrual hygiene in public sanitation planning. In many developing countries such as India, many women encounter a variety of problems in managing their menstruation when they use public restrooms which are unclean, unsafe or under-equipped. A number of critical factors contribute to the lack of proper care for women during menstruation. There is no access to clean water, soap, or privacy to maintain good hygiene, nor are there adequate means to dispose of sanitary products. All of these limitations not only compromise the ability to maintain good menstrual hygiene but create potential for infection, discomfort and emotional/psychological stress. Additionally, concerns regarding safety from harassment or gender based violence in isolation and/or poorly maintained facilities further limit women’s ability to move about in public space. The same type of societal barriers experienced by women accessing public restrooms reflect larger societal issues of gender inequity and help to reinforce societal stigmas associated with menstruation. As such, this research will utilize the frameworks of gender and social justice to evaluate the intersection of sanitation, safety and dignity in public spaces and provide an emphasis on the necessity of developing and implementing gender sensitive sanitation policy, menstrual waste management systems and programs designed to address and reduce menstrual taboos. To provide equal opportunity for all women to be able to maintain good health through safe access to sanitation, is not simply an Issue of health but also is an important step towards achieving gender equality and providing women with the power to make choices in both the private and public spheres.