Breaking Taboos: Empowering Girls in Madagascar Through Menstrual Health Education

 

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 and daughters. Without access to information, women resorted to using inappropriate materials to manage their periods. The poorest families couldn't even afford underwear to attach makeshift solutions. This widespread issue throughout the world causes many girls and women to miss school or work and increases the risks of preventable infections.

  

Berthe, a 51-year-old seamstress in the commune of Alakamisy Ambohimahazo, says, "When I was young, I experienced my periods as a handicap.” Unfortunately, this community is no exception. In rural areas of Madagascar, there is still a strong stigma attached to menstruation. Alongside this, one statistic is particularly worrying: in Madagascar, only one girl in four finishes secondary school (1). 

  

The taboo surrounding menstruation harms girls' education 

Lack of suitable sanitation facilities and menstrual products, combined with the pervasive stigma, negatively impacted girls' school attendance. Outside the schools where CARE is working and according to the J-PAL survey carried out in the Amoron'i Mania region, only 34% of schools had lockable toilets in the region studied.

To combat this, CARE implemented training in schools to raise awareness about menstruation and hygiene. They installed appropriate facilities and provided locally-made, reusable sanitary pads, enabling girls and women to menstruate without staining risks that fuel stigmatization

  

"I used to hesitate to talk to my daughters about menstruation, it was a sensitive subject. Now they teach me a lot about it, thanks to the training they've had in menstrual hygiene management!” - Rinah, mother of two daughters Laurence and Marcellinah 

  

"Since the project started, family discussions on hygiene have become easier and more fluid. There are no longer any problems talking about sanitary towels, for example" - Jean Bosco, a teacher trained by the NGO CARE and a parent. 

  

"Now, even when we're menstruating, we go to training sessions and matches because we use washable sanitary towels. No more fear of running away, we feel safe" - Floris, 17, supported by the NGO CARE. 

 

CARE's aim in carrying out this impact study by J-PAL was to determine whether reducing the stigma attached to menstruation and encouraging positive discussions on taboo subjects could have an impact on increasing girls' abilities and their willingness to go to school (2). 

  

The J-PAL study found that CARE's interventions significantly increased the likelihood of girls passing end-of-year exams from 50% to 60%. Reducing menstrual insecurity enables girls to stay in school longer and achieve better educational outcomes, empowering them to choose their future paths. (3).

  

CARE continues leveraging lessons from global projects while valuing external evaluations like J-PAL's to optimize their support strategies as a learning organization.  

Sources: (1) Unicef, 2023; (2) Fonds d'Innovation pour le Développement, 2023; (3) J Global Health, 2018  

  

CARE supports people in Madagascar 

As part of the Kilonga project, CARE and its partners are helping girls to go through their periods with dignity. This project is funded by the association Aider les autres and the study carried out by J-PAL is financially supported by the FID (Fonds d'Innovation pour le Développement). CARE has been fighting poverty and inequality in Madagascar since 1992. We bring aid to the most vulnerable populations with concrete and lasting impacts. 

  

To put an end to the injustices in the country, CARE is mobilising via a global approach:

1. Access to education, the fight against malnutrition and support for agriculture, access to employment and entrepreneurship, health and water. 
2. Support for women's rights. We support women's economic and social independence because societies cannot prosper long-term when half the population is sidelined!