About MH Day
Lack of education, ongoing taboos, and stigma cause poor menstrual hygiene. A lack of access to clean menstrual products and bad sanitation also contribute. These problems harm the education, health, and social status of women and girls* worldwide.
As a result, millions of women and girls face obstacles to their full potential. Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) is a global campaign. It unites nonprofits, governments, individuals, businesses, and the media. The goal is to promote good menstrual health and hygiene (MHH).
MH Day has two key aims. First, it breaks the taboo around menstrual health and hygiene. It raises awareness and shifts negative social norms around MHH. Second, it urges leaders to prioritise and act on MHH at global, national and local levels.
Since 2014, MH Day has seen significant growth. Read the MHDay Impact Report to see its results and learn how MH Day generates an impact for MHH.
Impact at a glance
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Menstrual Hygiene Day has 1,003 official partner organisations, ranging from UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank to hundreds of small grassroots NGOs. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the most partners. India is the country with the highest number of partners.
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In 2023, we picked up 17,828 pieces of media coverage – a new all-time record! Let's take a look at the most popular topics. NGOs calling for more action and opinion pieces by thought leaders received a lot of media attention. Extraordinary events and new research also generated a lot of coverage. Last but not least, the media was very interested in concrete commitments to action. For example, commitments to provide free access to products and funding commitments.
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In 2023, our monitoring tools tracked more than 222,000 contributions on social media. Sub-Saharan Africa stood out by a margin with more than 50% of global contributions – incredible! Kenya overtook India and the US to claim the top spot as the most active country on social media.
Note: we can only partially track contributions on Facebook and Instagram, and we cannot track Instagram stories. Hence, we estimate that the actual number of social media contributions is far higher.
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In 2023, MH Day reached an astonishing 705,000,000 people all over the world. Together, we raised awareness and pushed back taboos and stigma like never before. Millions more were reached via print media and through hundreds of Menstrual Hygiene Day events that took place all over the world.
Menstrual Hygiene Day Initiator and International Secretariat
Menstrual Hygiene 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. WASH United leads the MH Day partner network with over 1,000 organisations. It sets the strategy and direction for MH Day. The non-profit also creates and shares campaign content.
Moreover, it communicates through MH Day channels and represents MH Day at events. WASH United manages strategic partnerships, including with the media and fundraising. It also handles monitoring and reporting.
MH Day activities in each country are coordinated by local MH Day partners.
Our Vision
It is possible to create a world where no one is held back because they menstruate. A world where they can manage their periods safely, hygienically, and confidently, without shame.
Our vision includes:
- Easy access to affordable menstrual products for everyone
- Elimination of period stigma
- Basic menstruation information for everyone
- Period-friendly facilities for all
Yet, we face a critical lack of progress. To end period poverty and stigma, we need more investment in menstrual health and hygiene right now.
Are you a journalist?
The Media Resources section offers key information for journalists. This includes the top 5 things to know about MH Day 2024. Additionally, our experts are ready for quotes, comments, and interviews. We can also connect you with our partners for deeper regional insights.