Menstrual Hygiene Day

Observed annually on 28 May (symbolizing the ~28-day average cycle and 5-day average period), this international day aims to break the silence and stigma surrounding menstruation, tackle period poverty, and ensure that all girls, women, and people who menstruate have access to clean, safe, and dignified menstrual hygiene management. It promotes education, infrastructure, and policy changes to make menstruation a normal part of life rather than a source of shame or barrier to education and participation.

Theme Focus

Rather than a new theme each year, the movement (coordinated by WASH United since 2014) now unites behind this long-term mission: a world where menstruation-related stigma and taboos are history, and everyone has access to period products, education, and period-friendly infrastructure — with the collective goal of "no one held back because they menstruate by 2030."

Key Priorities

• Removing taxes on menstrual products and making them freely available in schools and public institutions.
• Constructing clean, private, and gender-sensitive toilet facilities with disposal systems in schools and workplaces.
• Integrating comprehensive menstrual health education into school curricula.
• Dispelling harmful cultural and religious taboos through community dialogue and media campaigns.
• Supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly menstrual products (including reusable options).
• Addressing menstrual health needs of vulnerable groups, including girls with disabilities and those in humanitarian settings.

Key Concepts

• Menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
• Period poverty and menstrual equity.
• Cultural taboos, myths, and stigma around menstruation.
• Access to affordable and safe menstrual products.
• Menstrual health education and inclusion.
• WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) infrastructure for menstrual care.
• Impact of poor menstrual hygiene on health, education, and dignity.