Telling the ECSA Story

  Malagasy girls learning how to place reusable menstrual pads onto pants. CARE Madagascar Across the globe, the NGO CARE implements projects to support underserved communities. As part of their commitment to continuous improvement, they commissioned a study from J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab), a network of researchers awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics. The study aimed to understand the effects of addressing menstrual insecurity on schoolgirls, their academic performance, families, and peers.     In the Amoron'i Mania region of Madagascar, menstruation was highly stigmatized and surrounded by taboos. It was seen as "dirty," leading to the isolation and exclusion of menstruating women and girls, who were forced to sleep in separate huts. The study revealed that nearly half of girls believed they deserved punishment if their brothers found out they were menstruating.     Societal norms prohibited any discussion about the topic, even between mothers an