Workplace menstrual health in the private sector: Results from a pilot study in Kenya and Nepal

Abstract

Menstrual health (MH) efforts have not focused on challenges experienced by working adults. For individuals who identify as women, managing one's periods outside the home is especially difficult when working in male-dominated workplaces. In response, USAID Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Partnerships for Learning and Sustainability implemented four workplace interventions in Kenya and Nepal to improve MH conditions, promote women's economic empowerment, and garner support from company leadership for workplace MH programs. Over 9–11 months, interventions focused on (i) menstrual products and WASH infrastructure; (ii) workplace policy environment; and (iii) education and behavior change. Pre–post, mixed methods evaluations revealed that awareness and confidence regarding MH increased in all workplaces. Improved access to menstrual products increased women's comfort and lowered anxiety regarding leakage. In both countries, improved toilets and reduction of supervisory barriers to toilet use during working hours helped women employees to change products regularly. Changing the social and institutional workplace environments through policy recommendations and education and behavior change efforts increased social support and reduced menstruation-related stigma, leading to improved work performance and job satisfaction. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of implementing workplace MH programs and improving working conditions for menstruating employees in pursuit of economic empowerment and better business outcomes.