Pilot testing and evaluation of a toolkit for menstrual hygiene management in emergencies in three refugee camps in Northwest Tanzania
Open accessAbstract
Displaced adolescent girls and women face many challenges managing their monthly menstrual flow with dignity and comfort in various challenging settings around the world, such as refugee camps, informal settlements, and while in transit across geographies as they flee disaster or conflict. Menstrual hygiene management requires easy access to safe, private water and sanitation facilities, along with appropriate menstrual materials and supplies, discreet disposal and waste management, and basic information on menstrual hygiene for displacement contexts. Yet, a significant gap exists in terms of available guidance on effective, coordinated multi-sectoral approaches for a complete menstrual hygiene management response. This paper describes one effort to address this gap, the development and pilot testing of the Menstrual Hygiene Management in Emergencies Toolkit in three camps hosting Burundian and Congolese refugees in Northwest Tanzania. Multiple methods were used to evaluate the implementation of the toolkit, which included a process and endline evaluation. Key findings included the identification of content gaps in the draft toolkit, the mapping out of a training and capacity building approaches needed for integrating menstrual hygiene management into ongoing programming, the relevancy and appropriateness of the guidance prescribed, and the potential for novel approaches to be identified by both water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and non-WASH sector actors subsequent to sufficient training. Important lessons from this exercise may be useful for the introduction of MHM programming into future global humanitarian response efforts.
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As more women transition to commercial and non-biodegradable products for managing menstruation, latrine fill up and environmental accumulation will be increasingly urgent.
“however as more women transition to commercial and non-biodegradable products for managing menstruation, latrine fill up and environmental accumulation will be increasingly urgent [63, 65, 66].”
From ’It’s like a burden on the head’: Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women’s varied life stages in Odisha, India. (2019) · cites this paper as [66]
Environmental impact and threats to latrines and sanitation systems are already a concern.
“Environmental impact and threats to latrines and sanitation systems are already a concern”
From ’It’s like a burden on the head’: Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women’s varied life stages in Odisha, India. (2019) · cites this paper as [66]
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- Authors
- Sommer, M., Schmitt, M. L., Ogello, T., Mathenge, P., Mark, M., Clatworthy, D., Khandakji, S., & Ratnayake, R.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- International Rescue Committee (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sommer, Marni
- Venue
- Journal of International Humanitarian Action
- Published
- 2018-05-03
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 2364-3404 (ISSN-L)
- 2364-3412
- OpenAlex
- W2805348157
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 3.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of International Humanitarian Action (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Columbia Academic Commons (Columbia University)
- Funders
- Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (#12964)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Menstrual Health and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Conflict Studies
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- menstrual hygiene management, refugee camps, humanitarian crisis, toolkit development, water, sanitation and hygiene, multisectoral coordination, capacity building, menstrual products, human dignity, Burundian refugees, Congolese refugees, Northwest Tanzania
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