Do sanitation facilities in primary and secondary schools address Menstrual Hygiene needs? A study from Mzuzu City, Malawi

Discussions with girls and 22 Key Informant Interviews with Head Teachers and Senior female teachers. Direct observation was also made on sanitation facilities. Findings of the study reveal that gaps and areas for potential improvement exist in both primary and secondary schools. To make the school environment conducive for girls to manage their menstruation while at school, this study recommends improvements to ensure enough privacy, connection of piped water to sanitation facilities, provision of space for girls to clean themselves and change clothes and disposal facilities or drying space for used sanitary material. This will require low-cost sanitation facilities designed through girls’ involvement and revisiting existing policies and proper strategies for reinforcing them.
Source: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts ABC - Category: Science Source Type: research