Religious, Social Taboo stand in the way of Mensrual Health Management

Social and religious taboos centring on menstrual health are holding back society when it comes to menstrual health management (MHM), speakers at a program have said.

They also stressed the need for rest facilities for adolescent schoolgirls who are menstruating, and called for the promotion of menstrual health education at madrasas.

The comments were made at a consultative meeting titled “Reflection of MHM Learning: National MHM Strategy,” organized by the Ritu Program and MHM Platfrom at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) on Tuesday.

The program was supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Dhaka Tribune was the media partner.

Addressing the event, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Additional Secretary (Local Government Division) Md Zahirul Islam said religion often serves as an impediment to menstrual health management, and it was important to sensitize religious leaders to the issue.

“Madrasas should be included in the promotion of awareness on menstrual health issues,” he added, emphasizing the need for menstrual health management strategies that are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dhaka Tribune Executive Editor Reaz Ahmad said the customs duty and VAT on certain items, such as sanitary napkins and the raw materials to make them, are completely irrational.

“A significant portion of the poor community does not even have access to the minimum hygiene products, let alone those for menstrual hygiene,” he added.

The Dhaka Tribune executive editor further said 67% of health expenditure in the country is paid out of the pocket of patients and their families. “If someone from a low-income family suffers from a major disease and has to go for treatment, their financial condition worsens.”

Rokeya Kabir, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, said: “Most of our achievements will go in vain if we cannot ensure menstrual health for half of the population.”

The speakers and stakeholders recommended the set up of spaces for adolescent girls to take a rest while they are menstruating in schools. They also recommended sensitizing parents of adolescent girls to menstruation related issues, as they are still taboo in Bangladeshi society.

Iqbal Hossain, education specialist of UNICEF, said providing information about menstrual health is not the real challenge.

“There should be more focus on how to make this information more comprehensible,” he added.

Mushfiqua Zaman Satiar, a senior policy advisor of the Netherlands embassy, said alongside promoting menstrual hygiene, it is important to educate young girls about menstruation before they start menstruating.

Source: Dhaka Tribune