Scaling up menstrual hygiene management

Good menstrual hygiene is crucial for the health, education and the dignity of girls and women. The knowledge and ability of women and girls to manage their menstruation both hygienically and with dignity is fundamental to achieving gender equality. Improvements in Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) contribute to sustainable development goals 3, 4 and 6 specifically and are associated intricately to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, knowledge and behaviors. The lack of information and gender friendly facilities at school, coupled with negative attitudes contributes to girls missing out on approximately 11% of school time in Uganda (IRC, 2013). Plan International Uganda utilizes multidimensional approach to galvanizing menstrual hygiene management focusing on private partnership to improve access to pads, income generation and improved MHM related knowledge, attitudes and practices. This paper aims to explain the project’s theory of change, implementation strategy and the ongoing evolution towards an MHM sustainable model.