Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why the 28th of May?
The average duration of a menstrual cycle is 28 days. On average, women and girls menstruate for 5 days per month. Hence 28-5, or the 28th of May.
Is there really a need for a Menstrual Hygiene (MH) Day?
Who came up with the idea for MH Day and how did it start?
Who is behind Menstrual Hygiene Day?
- coordination of the MH Day partner network comprising of >500 social impact organizations,
- overall strategy and direction for MH Day,
- creation and dissemination of content for the annual MH Day campaign and ongoing campaigning,
- external communication (MH Day website, social media and newsletters) and representation of MH Day (at conferences and other sector events),
- strategic partnerships (including with the media) and fundraising,
- monitoring and reporting.
Can I celebrate MH Day even if my organisation is not a MH Day partner?
What happens on and around MH Day on May 28th?
What happens beyond May 28th?
Why do you use the term menstrual hygiene and not menstrual health?
The term Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) focuses on what women and girls need to manage their periods safely, hygienically, with confidence and without shame. MHM has been defined by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP).
Menstrual health is often understood as a term that look at the cycle , including wider menstruation-related health issues, such as endometriosis or peri-menopause. However, at present there is no broadly accepted definition of menstrual health, but it is forthcoming.
We have increasingly used the term Menstrual Health & Hygiene (MHH) as it inclusive. We use it according to a UNICEF definition in this publication.
If partners want to use the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day to advocate for menstrual equity and adressing period poverty and for menstrual health issues , that is completely fine with us.
What we expect from everyone, though, is to respect the name of the day, which is Menstrual Hygiene Day. Not doing so is confusing, especially for the media and other multipliers, and hence undermines our joint overall efforts to turn menstruation into a normal fact of life.
Why do you only refer to women and girls and not to people who menstruate or menstruators?
The focus of Menstrual Hygiene Day is on maximising progress for the vast majority of the people who menstruate, which are women and girls. In many countries, we are just now making the first baby steps towards normalising the menstruation of women and girls. In our view, we haven’t made nearly enough progress for MH Day as a global initiative to take on the potentially even bigger taboo of other people who menstruate.
MH Day partners are, of course, free to use other language and advocate for everyone who menstruates.
How is MH Day funded? Does MH Day need additional financial support?
Contact
Office phone: +49-30-55576806-1
Mail address: WASH United gGmbH, Fuerbringerstrasse 7, 10961 Berlin, Germany