We are based in India, a country that has progressed considerably in managing menstruation in the past decade. According to a recent national survey¹, about 90% of Indian women with 12 or more years of schooling used safe period products, such as locally prepared napkins, sanitary napkins, tampons and menstrual cups, in 17 states and union territories. Compared to four years previously², there has been a 20% increase in the use of safe methods by women aged 15–24 during menstruation. Yet, despite substantial progress in use of period products, concentrating solely on physical management will not effectively improve menstrual health.

In many parts of India (as in other countries), menstruation remains deeply rooted in stigma and taboos that perpetuate gender discrimination and reinforce negative stereotypes. The way that people manage menstruation is just one visible manifestation of the social norms and stigma that become ingrained from menarche (the beginning of menstruation) and even earlier. In some cultures, menstruating individuals are considered impure, which can lead to social exclusion and discrimination. Menstruation affects daily life, including schooling, employment, social relationships and mental health^3,4,5 — and not only because of the physical aspects but also because of how stigma and social norms shape its management. In some cultures, menarche signifies sexual availability, and families can face pressure to arrange marriage for girls soon after its onset to control their sexuality and protect family honour⁶. Those who menstruate may go to great lengths to hide the fact that they are experiencing normal biological and bodily functions. As a result, they may invest a lot of time and effort in managing menstruation owing to stigma and societal norms, which can be compounded by a lack of resources.

我们的总部设在印度，该国在过去十年中在月经管理方面取得了长足的进步。根据最近的一项全国调查¹，在 17 个邦和联邦直辖区，大约 90% 受过 12 年或以上教育的印度女性使用经期安全产品，例如当地准备的餐巾、卫生巾、卫生棉条和月经杯。与四年前^相比 2,15-24 岁女性在月经期间使用安全方法的人数增加了 20%。然而，尽管在经期产品的使用方面取得了重大进展，但仅专注于身体管理并不能有效改善经期健康。

在印度的许多地方（与其他国家一样），月经仍然深深植根于耻辱和禁忌中，这些耻辱和禁忌使性别歧视长期存在并强化了负面的刻板印象。人们管理月经的方式只是从月经初潮（月经开始）甚至更早开始就根深蒂固的社会规范和耻辱的一种可见表现。在某些文化中，经期个体被认为是不纯洁的，这可能导致社会排斥和歧视。月经会影响日常生活，包括学校教育、就业、社会关系和心理健康^3,4,5 — 这不仅是因为身体方面，还因为耻辱感和社会规范如何塑造其管理。在一些文化中，月经初潮意味着性能力，家庭可能会面临压力，在月经初潮开始后不久就为女孩安排婚姻，以控制她们的性行为并保护家庭荣誉⁶。那些来月经的人可能会不遗余力地掩盖他们正在经历正常的生物和身体功能的事实。因此，由于耻辱感和社会规范，他们可能会投入大量时间和精力来管理月经，而缺乏资源可能会加剧这种情况。