Accessibility of appropriate sanitary protection materials for menstruation, and underwear, for women and girls

Appropriate sanitary protection materials are the materials that women and girls are accustomed to using in normal circumstances, in sufficient quantities and of an acceptable quality. Convenient and private places for washing and drying reusable cloths may also be necessary in some circumstances. Widespread lack of access means that it is difficult or impossible to get access to materials because they are simply not available or not affordable. Some lack of access means that it is generally possible to procure materials but that this is significantly more difficult than before the crisis or that some groups of women and girls cannot procure suitable materials.

Unit Description

Yes/No

Numerator

N/A

Denominator

N/A

Disaggregation

N/A

Indicator used for response monitoring ?

Types

Baseline

Output

Threshold / Standard

N/A

General guidance

Normal methods for procuring sanitary protection materials for menstruation may be disrupted by a disaster and, where washable cloths are used, facilities for washing and drying cloths correctly and privately may be lacking. The resulting lack of access to appropriate materials and underwear may lead to situations of embarrassment and distress, affecting girls and women's access to education, economic or social activities. In some cases,it increases the risk of infectious disease through the reuse of incorrectly washed and dried cloths and underwear. In order to get information on the availability of sanitary protection and on the type of female hygiene material being used in the community, focus group discussions should be conducted with adolescent gitls and women of reproductive age, preferably broken down by age , including, where deemed important, female members of ethnic or religious minorities. Due to the sensitive nature of the issue, the consultation should be carried by a female staff member.

Guidance for pre-crisis/baseline

N/A

Data Sources

Focus group discussion

Comments

N/A