Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Paragraph: 43
Support menstrual health by providing WASH services, menstrual products, and age-appropriate education on menstruation.
Recommendation
The FCDO should support menstrual health by supporting the provision of WASH services and infrastructure and access to menstrual products. In particular, the FCDO should ensure that its work in the education and WASH sectors complement its SRHR work in this area, for example, ensuring that education programmes include the provision of appropriate sanitary facilities. It should also support age-appropriate education on menstruation.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO agrees and states it is already supporting menstrual health through constructing menstrual-friendly toilets, providing reusable sanitary products, offering comprehensive sexuality education, and investing in reproductive health supplies via programmes like the Girls' Education Challenge.
Paragraph Reference:
43
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Agree 35. The FCDO agrees with the Committee’s conclusion/recommendation on the importance of WASH infrastructure, menstrual hygiene products and menstrual health management education. The FCDO is supporting girls in several countries including Nepal and Ethiopia to manage their periods with confidence and dignity by constructing menstrual-friendly toilets and providing reusable sanitary products. 36. The FCDO is also tackling lack of knowledge, stigma and shame around periods by supporting girls with access to comprehensive sexuality education. 37. The FCDO supports access to a range of reproductive health commodities, including those for menstrual hygiene, through investments such as the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition. 38. The FCDO is also supporting menstrual health management through our Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) programme, where 19 of 33 projects have found substantial impacts in knowledge of menstrual health management, 10 projects have reported increased school/learning centre attendance, and 6 projects reported more open conversations and decrease in feelings of shame/stigma.