Menstrual Networks

The Global Menstrual Collective serves as a platform to connect diverse interests, commitment and expertise to scale up MHM programming. The collective includes representatives from UN organizations, academia, government, funders, private sector, existing coalitions, advocacy groups, youth focused organizations, faith-based groups, independent consultants and international non-governmental organizations. Members represent different sectors relevant to menstrual health and hygiene include water, sanitation and hygiene; sexual and reproductive health and rights; youth; gender and those focused on menstrual health and hygiene.

The mission of the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation is to dismantle institutional, structural, interpersonal, and social oppressive systems in place affecting menstruation, individuals who menstruate, and their ability to access basic inalienable human rights, critical resources to lead happy, and healthy lives, and obtain dignity. They strive to unite organizations, and individuals who share our vision of reclaiming dignity for each individual during menstruation and aim to transform the menstruation movement to center dignity. Their objective is to: (1) Build common understanding on dignified menstruation. (2) Create a unified campaign on menstruation empowerment. (3) Lead research projects around the status of menstrual health conditions globally. (4) Leverage our collective global networks to enact policy change and education around menstrual health.

The Menstrual Health and Gender Justice working group seeks to further the nascent field of menstrual studies. Funded through the Center for the Study of Social Difference at Columbia University as a part of the Women Creating Change series, this group puts particular emphasis on critically evaluating the current state of research, advocacy and programming, with interest in examining whose voices are being represented in the field, which actors shape the dominant narrative, whose voices are marginalized, what the gaps are, and how interdisciplinary collaboration might help remedy some of these gaps.

Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) is a global advocacy platform that brings together the voices and actions of non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to promote good menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) for all women and girls. More specifically, MH Day: (1) breaks the silence, raises awareness and changes negative social norms around MHH, and (2) engages decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyse action for MHH, at global, national and local levels. MH Day was initiated by the German non-profit WASH United in 2013. WASH United is the overall global coordinator of MH Day and acts as its international secretariat.

Period Empowerment Network seeks to strengthen the civic spirit and skills set of youth and youth workers in raising awareness on menstrual health, hygiene and management. The network develops training programmes on planning, designing, delivering, and evaluating community and campaign-based interventions and strategies through non-formal educational practices in the field of youth education as a means of fostering menstrual health and hygiene education in youth work. The project contributes to the European Union’s Gender Action Plan: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. PEN consists of 12 youth-based organizations across 12 countries, combining experiences of health psychologists, health sociologists, pedagogues and youth workers to challenge stigma and taboos around period and shape menstrual health education. Members include: Terram Pacis, Ensino E Investigacao E Administracao, Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu I Nauk O Zdrowiu, European Institute For Local Development, Erasmus Mundus Students And Alumni Association, Asoc. De Innovación Emprendimiento Y Tecnologías, Samahan Pilipina Para Sa Reporma At Kaunlaran, Hello Youth Örkelljunga, Society For Menstrual Cycle Research, Volunteer Action For Change Kenya, Uganda Youth Skills Training Organization and Disha International Foundation Trust.

The Period Equality Network is a global community for grassroots initiatives and organisations to connect across contexts, learn and develop their programmes. The community can connect on the Facebook group where they can ask questions, share their learning and develop best practices in their menstrual health initiatives.

The Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition is a global partnership of public, private, and non-governmental organizations dedicated to ensuring that all people in low- and middle-income countries can access and use affordable, high-quality supplies to ensure their better reproductive health. The coalition brings together diverse agencies and groups with critical roles in providing contraceptives and other reproductive health supplies. These include multilateral and bilateral organizations, private foundations, governments, civil society, and private-sector representatives.

Wins4Girls was implemented by UNICEF through global, regional and counry-level partnerships. The aim was to use formative research to support evidence-based policies and interventions that could be taken to scale through education systems. UNICEF formed partnerships at mutliple levels: global partners include Emory University and Colombia University; country partners include governments, civil society and academia. The project brought together different sections of UNICEF's Programme Division and the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative as well. The WinS4Girls program was groundbreaing in its success in developing leadership and capacity for MHM in the education systems. The project is one of the only comprehensive global MHM programmes with the goal of going beyond research to action, resulting in new standards, guidelines and evidence-based interventions accross all countries.

Let’s Talk. Period is a network of projects committed to ending period poverty in England. The network is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The project will: (1) Pilot the P-Card Scheme in seven locations in England, ensuring those in need to receive products, education, and training. (2) Bring together the network of organizations and professionals who are seeking solutions to period poverty. (3) Deliver the Period Poverty Grant scheme to support smaller organizations to tackle period poverty. (4) Make sure young people have a voice when it comes to period poverty. Let’s talk. Period funded nine organisations to deliver local solutions to period poverty in their communities. The organisations funded include: IRISE International; Project Give, Wolverhampton; Real Period Project – Bristol; Knowsley Youth Mutual; Newcastle East Mixed Academy Trust; Young Women’s Film Academy; Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan Trust; Women’s Environmental Network; Freedom4Girls, Leeds.

The Menstruation Research Network (UK) brings together experts from the sciences and humanities, NGOs, the arts, activists and campaigners, industry and the NHS in order to share knowledge about medical, political, economic, psychological and cultural issues related to menstruation. The network is supported by the Wellcome Trust and is based at the Universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews in Scotland.

The Empower Period Network is a community of passionate young advocates campaigning to end period poverty and shame in the UK. The Network is a space for young advocates to connect with each other and have the opportunity to become leaders in their own communities to achieve period equality.

The mission of Women's Environmental Network (WEN) is to make the connections between women’s health and well-being and environmental issues. They want to inspire women to make environmentally informed choices. They aim to empower women to become agents of change in their families, networks, and society, and to participate equally in an environmentally sustainable future.

The African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management advocates for multisectoral policy-making and to support efforts to develop product standards and ensure constant and regular availability and diversification of menstrual programmes and products and supplies, in line with the various contextual conditions. Created out of the First Menstrual Health Symposium in Eastern and Southern Africa Coalition in May 2018, the coalition also supports efforts to ensure that there is proper policy guidance on menstrual health management so that menstrual health management is integrated across sectors to ensure adequate and life-long education, access to health services, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and that other infrastructure are availed by governments and partners. This integration should be based on context as situations facing girls, women and other people who menstruate are very diverse across countries and communities.

This coalition was established from the ecosystem building efforts of the MH Hub from registrants in the MH Hub Global Registry. The MH Hub put different organizations working throughout the country in touch to coordinate the efforts between them. The organizations that are putting together this efforts are: Kuja Eco Pads, the Rural Women Center for Education and Development (RuWCED) Cameroon, Rose Academies, Afro-European Medical and Research Network (AEMRN), EFACAM -EDUCATION FOR ALL CAMEROON, Health Education and Research Organisation (HERO) Cameroon, Rising Hope Foundation For Change (RHFC), Girls Excel, Mother of Hope Cameroon (MOHCAM), Cho Ngafor’s Vocational Foundation, Mother Nature Partnership, False Labels Global Inc. Raha solutions, Center For Advocacy in Gender Equality and Action for Development-CAGEAD.

The Menstrual Cup Coalition is a voluntary affiliation which connects people and organisations to share experience and knowledge on cup provision and use. By combining strengths and working together, the impact of our work can expand and improve even further. The Menstrual Cup Coalition aims to improve the quality and range of research, and build evidence on the valuable role menstrual cups can play to improve girls and women’s sexual and reproductive health, dignity and equity. The Menstrual Cup Coalition connects people and organizations to share experience and knowledge on cup provision and use. Members: ActionAid Malawi, The Beatrice Project, The Butterfly Cup, The Case For Her, Church of Sweden, Could You Cup, The Cup Effect, The Cup, Dorgas International, Femme International, Flow Cup, Golden Girls Foundation, LSTM, Lunette, Malawi Girls Guide Association, Menstrual Health Hub, Menstrual Matters, Precious Stars, RubyCup, Safe Hands, St Peter’s Malawi Education Trust, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Womena, Women’s Global Health Innovation, ZanaAfrica

WASH Alliance Kenya seeks to stimulate linkages and strategic partnership among state and non-state WASH actors in enhancing their response towards the safe WASH needs of poor and marginalized Kenyans. They harness the energy and expertise of communities, NGOs, national and local governments and the private sector. With their member organizations, they advocate for change while facilitating local solutions for the millions of people who lack access to safe WASH services The WASH Alliance International is a multi-national network of over 100 partners worldwide. They work together with local NGOs, governments and businesses to make sure everybody on this planet has sustainable access to water and sanitation. They envision a world where all people have access to sustainable and affordable water and sanitation services. This is a world where all people can live under hygienic living conditions to improve their health, dignity and economic living standard. In the Netherlands, WAI is led by 9 organizations: Simavi (lead), Amref Flying Doctors, Akvo, RAIN, WASTE, IRC, Wetlands, Practica, and RUAF.

The Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Partners’ Alliance - MHM PA Nepal is an inter-sectoral, inter-professional and multi-stakeholder platform for coordination and exchange of ideas for more than 70 member organizations. Their activities are aimed around Dignified Menstruation initiatives in Nepal and beyond.

A network of NGOs, manufacturers and other experts that works to create awareness about menstrual health.

Founded in 2019, the MA Menstrual Equity Coalition is a group of menstrual activists, advocacy organizations, non profits, businesses, and public servants who have come together to end period poverty statewide. They are working on the following priorities: (1) State of Menstrual Access Survey to understand the needs of menstruators across the Commonwealth and to inform our initiatives to increase access to menstrual products. (2) Contacting Legislators to pass the I AM bill and end period poverty in Massachusetts. (3) Smashing the stigma around periods through consciousness-raisings and pop up events to strengthen our personal narratives for advocacy and take menstruation out of the closet.

The Pacific Menstrual Health (MH) Network is a group of Pacific-based actors who have formed a community of practice to ensure that all women and girls living across the Pacific are able to access the necessary MH information, products, and infrastructure needed to adequately manage their menstrual cycle. Convened by WaterAid, Criterion Institute and the MH Hub, this network is comprised of both public and private sector actors. In order to improve and sustain their efforts in the region, the 3 core objectives of the network are: (1) Improve coordination of the delivery of menstrual health products and services for all populations living across the region. (2) Strengthen innovation and investment in the Pacific MH eco-system (3) Provide an accessible platform for menstrual health actors in the region to jointly advocate for improved menstrual health outcomes (4) Facilitate peer learning, sharing of best practice and new ideas to improve menstrual health in the Pacific.