Moving Toward a Holistic Menstrual Hygiene Management: An Anthropological Analysis of Menstruation and Practices in Western and Non-Western Societies

Educating girls is not only their human right, but also proposed as one of the best investments for improving quality of life in developing countries (Montgomery et al. 2016, 2). Although menstruation is a universal, biological process, it is fraught with cultural stigmas and taboos throughout Western and non-Western societies. Menstrual-related absenteeism is believed to be a primary cause of missed attendance and early dropout rates, so the developing field of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is seeking to understand and evaluate what factors are contributing to these findings. After the analyzation of the current literature, a more holistic, nine-pronged approach to menstrual hygiene management is proposed for interventions in the Global South through girls’ access to sanitary products, clean toilets, hand washing facilities, puberty education, pain mitigation, a head woman teacher, inclusion of boys and men, improving support at home, and destigmatization. Because of the country’s rich recent history of international attention and aid, Uganda will be utilized as a backdrop to understand what menstrual hygiene management research is currently being conducted, positive and negative conclusions from the studies, and to uncover gaps for future research