It has been proposed that teaching boys about puberty and menstruation can help lessen the stigma associated with menstruation and the unfavourable attitudes toward it. To raise an understanding of puberty and promote a more accepting atmosphere for menstruating school girls, a team of researchers created and tested a school-based intervention for both boys and girls.
Male inclusion should be made a key component of Menstrual Health Management programmes as men have an essential role in their effectiveness. Cultural norms around menstruation are rooted in gender inequality and this can compromise women’s ability to manage menstruation hygienically and with dignity. Education is necessary to teach that menstrual blood is not ‘dirty’, a girl’s first period does not mean she is ready to get married and bear children and menstruation should not keep girls out of school.
