Evaluating the Effects of a Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Intervention in India
Although menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) is a crucial issue for all women and girls, approximately 500 million around the world lack access to menstrual products and facilities.
In India, knowledge gaps and limited access to sanitation products and facilities hinder adequate MHH, with 50 percent of girls unaware of menstruation prior to reaching the first menstrual period and often using cloths instead of sanitary products while menstruating.
Evaluation of a Holistic Behavior Change Program
AIR researchers and collaborators evaluated a holistic MHH behavior change program in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, to inform improvements, adaptations, and scale-up of the program, and support evidence dissemination and uptake to improve the quality of life for girls and women.
AIR collaborated with Sanitation First (SF), a non-governmental organization that has been working on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities in India since 2007.
SF designed a program called Happy Periods, which it began to implement in 2019 in Tamil Nadu’s government schools, and which trains boys and girls on puberty/menstruation, and distributes reusable antimicrobial sanitary pads and hygiene materials to students.
View full infographic: Evaluation of Happy Periods.
The AIR study evaluated the impact of the program on MHH behaviors, knowledge, attitudes, norms, and related outcomes (e.g., girls’ school attendance and mental well-being), using SF’s implementation plans for Happy Periods during the 2024–25 school year. The primary focus was on adolescent girls and boys enrolled in government schools (Grades 8–9). We used a prospective matched comparison group design for a mixed methods evaluation of the program.
Ultimately, the study provided evidence that can help strengthen girls’ ability to manage their menstrual cycle, which routinely restricts female mobility and participation in social or economic activities.
Limited evidence exists on the impacts of programming in this domain. Thus, the work makes valuable contributions to the literature on MHH interventions and informs improvements to an organization’s MHH-focused activities.
