Research Paper No.3
Key Takeaways
- The use of more environmentally friendly menstrual products such as menstrual cups and reusable menstrual pads produce significant savings in the long term.
- Barriers to the use of these menstrual products include high initial costs, lack of decent water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and low availability of these menstrual products.
- Monthly cost of menstrual pads and tampons represents 6.5% and 4.33% of the average monthly household income of those in the poorest quintile.
- Initial cost of the menstrual cup and reusable menstrual pads represents 49.26% and 64.12% of the average monthly household income of those in the poorest quintile.
- The average real monthly cost of menstrual pads and tampons decreased slightly between 2018 and 2019, but affordability has declined because of declining incomes.
- The findings of the paper have the following key implications for government policy on menstrual health and hygiene:
- Government programmes distributing menstrual materials can reduce their costs by providing menstrual cups or reusable menstrual pads.
- Programmes that choose to distribute menstrual cups and reusable menstrual pads must also commit to improving access to WASH facilities within households and schools.
- Programmes that choose to distribute menstrual cups and reusable menstrual pads must put in place awareness raising campaigns around the use of these menstrual materials.
Cornerstone Economic Research