Project profile — Menstrual health for sexual and reproductive health and rights

• Pakistan (25.00%)
• Sierra Leone (25.00%)
• Liberia (25.00%)
• Burkina Faso (25.00%)

• Population policy and administrative management:
Population policy and administrative management (13010) (15.00%)
Reproductive health care (13020) (85.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)

This project aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women and adolescent girls in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Pakistan and Sierra Leone. This is done through menstrual health and hygiene interventions. Project activities include: (1) refurbishing and constructing gender-sensitive latrines and sanitation stations for improved menstrual hygiene management in schools, healthcare facilities and communities; (2) engaging local businesses, women entrepreneurs and youth groups to supply menstrual hygiene products; and (3) lobbying government authorities to develop plans, policies and budgets for menstrual health management in schools, communities and healthcare centers. This project directly benefits 91,450 people, of whom 72% women, including youth under the age of 19. WaterAid Canada, in partnership with Canada World Youth and Simavi leads the project.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased government and civil society responsiveness to the menstrual health needs of women and adolescent girls; (2) increased provision and utilization of menstrual health facilities and products in schools, healthcare centres and communities; and (3) improved hygiene behaviours by health care staff and communities to prevent COVID-19.

Results achieved at the end of the project (March 2024) include: (1) successfully constructed, rehabilitated or adopted 92 gender-sensitive, accessible toilets and washing or changing rooms for menstrual health management in schools; (2) trained 899 healthcare service providers in menstrual health; and (3) sensitized and counselled 38,459 adolescents (21,888 girls and 16,571 boys) on menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health and rights. This represents 191% of targeted girls aged 10 to 14 and 102% of girls aged 15 to 19.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities:
• Menstrual health for sexual and reproductive health and rights - COVID-19
• Menstrual health for sexual and reproductive health and rights - COVID-19 (II)