Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022
Impact report
Fuelled by the power of our movement, Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 broke all records. Collectively, we reached more than 687 million people all over the world, pushing back societal taboos and stigma and increasing the political relevance of the issue like never before!
In 2022, we introduced the Menstrual Hygiene Day Action Cycle, a new mechanism to catalyse action and funding by increasing transparency and accountability. More than 90 organisations participated in the first Action Cycle making powerful commitments to action. However, significant financial commitments to menstrual health and hygiene-related challenges are still lacking. If we are to succeed in creating a world where no one is held back simply because they menstruate by 2030, then this urgently needs to change. Therefore, unlocking funding for menstrual health and hygiene will be a key priority for 2023 and beyond.
This year, hundreds of NGOs, decision-makers, brands and thousands of advocates all over the world used the Menstruation Bracelet for their campaigning and outreach work. The bracelet was used particularly effectively to engage political decision makers, in employee engagement campaigns and in brand/influencer relationships. Beyond that, it’s potential for engaging B2C target groups is becoming increasingly evident, with more and more ordinary people using it. The bracelet is well on its way to becoming the global symbol for menstruation, widely used for advocacy and to push back stigma. Not only around 28 May, but all year round.
The media and journalists continued to be key allies for our cause. During this year’s campaign period, we saw over 14,670 articles in online news media. In addition, there were countless articles and programming in print media, TV and radio. Through their huge reach and mass audiences, the media has a crucial role to play in addressing taboos and stigma, amplifying success stories and highlighting advocacy initiatives that demand more action and investment from governments and other relevant actors.
The success of Menstrual Hygiene Day is based on the power of our movement of 910 official partners including hundreds of grassroots NGOs such as Days for Girls and WAGGGS, UN agencies and intergovernmental organisations such as UNICEF or the World Bank and corporate supporters such as Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark. In addition, many more organisations, decision-makers and other interested parties across the globe contribute to this success by all rowing in the same direction. Together #WeAreCommitted to creating a world where periods are a normal fact of life.
The Menstrual Hygiene Day International Secretariat
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 at a glance
Total campaign reach
+ 21% ​(compared to 2021)
x 31.2 since 2014​​
Media coverage
+ 78% ​(compared to 2021)
x 165 since 2014​
This year, we saw 14,670 articles on online news media. Popular topics included new data, research and reports, and new commitments to action and funding.
Note: While there was significant coverage on radio, print media and TV (including MH Day specials on Indian television), we‘re unable to track traditional media. Therefore, the actual total media coverage is likely to be far higher.
MH Day partner organisations
+ 14% ​(compared to 2021)
x 5.9 since 2014​
Menstrual Hygiene Day has 910 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 country with the highest number of partners.
The Menstrual Hygiene Day effect
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 Highlights
Decision makers
Decision makers from across the spectrum took to social media around MH Day 2022. Key decision makers like Clar Weah, First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, and Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, used the occasion to raise awareness, highlight progress or call for more action.
Brands
Corporate supporters and their brands like always, whisper, kotex or Thabsie harnessed the power of Menstrual Hygiene Day to reach out to their audiences. They highlighted the importance of good menstrual health and hygiene for all and shared how they address menstruation related challenges with their brand initiatives.
P&G
Intimina
Thabsie / Kotex South Africa
Kotex Nigeria
Always Arabia
P&G
Koramikino
Influencers and celebrities
Celebrities and influencers including actors, artists, models, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and media personalities such as Jameela Jamal, Manushi Chhillar, Laetitia Ky, Flaviana Matata and Israel Laryea made their voices heard and engaged their followers on the issue of menstruation around Menstrual Hygiene Day!
Manushi Chhillar
Israel Laryea
Jameela Jamal
Flaviana Matata
@theulynreis
Bo Hyun
@bibitatto
Laetitia Ky
Menstruation Bracelet
The Menstruation Bracelet was used widely by NGOs, decision-makers, brands, campaigners, activists and increasingly by ordinary people all over the world. The bracelet was used in a wide range of ways, including by companies to engage their staff, by influencers to start conversations with followers on social media, and by NGOs to engage with political decision makers. Going forward, let’s use the Menstruation Bracelet as widely as possible so that it becomes a truly universal symbol for menstruation!
Reports and data
Journalists are often incredibly receptive to new data and reports. Therefore, many MH Day partner organisations used the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day to publish new reports and or opinion pieces highlighting such new data. One example is a new report about the state of menstruation in Germany co-published by WASH United and Plan International Germany, which generated significant coverage in leading German media.
TV and radio
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 was widely featured on TV and radio, particularly in the Global South. Coverage included primetime formats on channels with mass audiences, thus bringing our movement’s stigma-busting messaging to the wider general public.
NGO partners, brands and governments
NGO partners, brands and governments utilised Menstrual Hygiene Day to achieve greater visibility for their work by generating significant media coverage through a range of means. Some of the most impactful tactics employed creativity such as such as the Period Crunch campaign or a menstruation-themed wall painting by the granddaughter of a Bollywood megastar, Amitabh Bachchan. In other cases, NGOs called for more action, thought leaders shared opinion pieces and extraordinary events were used to attract media attention. Furthermore, concrete action and commitments, such as commitments to provide free access to products and product donations, tended to reliably achieve media coverage.
Highlights
Events
From fashion shows to donation drives and much more, in-person and digital events are a popular format to not only celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day but also to raise awareness and break down stigma and taboos.
Menstrual Hygiene Day Action Cycle
The Menstrual Hygiene Day Action Cycle is a new annually recurring mechanism introduced by MH Day to catalyse action and funding by increasing transparency and accountability. The response from partners was very strong: 93 organisations from all around the world participated and submitted a total of 96 commitments!
Find out more about the Action Cycle including commitment makers and commitments per region and category.