Sommer, Marni, Bethany A. Caruso, Murat Sahin et al., “A Time for Global Action: Addressing Girls’ Menstrual Hygiene Management Needs in Schools,” PLOS Medicine 13, no.2 (February 2016), doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001962

URL: journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001962

Sommer et al. (2016) point out the lack of guidance, facilities, and materials for schoolgirls to manage their menstruation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Evidence suggests that poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM) contributes to inequity, sexual exploitation, and poorer reproductive and general health throughout a woman’s lifetime. In 2014, Columbia University and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) convened members from various disciplines to identify priorities that they believe will promote healthy MHM on the global, national, and local levels by 2024. These priorities are discussed and assessed by the authors, demonstrating that MHM is an issue that must be addressed to promote the health and dignity of girls.