Creating Safe Space for Girls in Schools: Health and Hygiene Promotion

An innovative program which addresses the issues of menstrual hygiene management in schools and raise awareness on creating safe space for girls within their schools. It is led by Kishoree (adolescent girls) in each school and is run in 22 schools in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. Safe Space for girl in schools is one of the programs under Bikalpa Gyan Tatha Bikas Kendra Nepal which is running in 20 schools of Kathmandu valley and working with9 Kishoree (young girls) in each school making total of 180 Kishoree directly to create gender sensitive facilities in schools especially for girls. This Program is to ensure girls' access to the clean sanitary napkins, disposable facilities, adequate supply of water and awareness raising on the need of menstrual health and hygiene.

Menstrual health and hygiene has been a great challenge for menstruating girls especially in schools. Most of the schools still lack sanitation facilities and the supplies they need during menstruation. Many girls therefore avoid going to school,miss their classes resulting in increasing numbers of drop out. In order to address the problem, we have conducted orientation and consultation to the school’s principals and teachers to understand the need of menstrual hygiene importance in schools, orientation and discussion Program with the Kishoree on the menstrual health and hygiene. We also have been conducting Digital Advocacy by sending awareness messages on different themes to 1,000 people every month, sending letter to 1000 schools’ principals, activities to ensure the disposable facilities and cleanliness of girls’ toilets in schools and developing and publishing posters and publication to raise awareness.

Accomplished Activities under Hygiene and Health Promotion: Safe space for girls in school

1. Consultation and Orientation Program with Principals and teachers on need of menstrual hygiene in schools
2. Virtual Meeting with principals and representative teachers
3. Refresher program- orientation with teachers and principals to understand the need of Menstrual Hygiene importance of schools.
4. Development of need assessment survey form for the observation on MHM friendly infrastructures in schools
5. Need assessment survey in schools
6. Preparation of checklist on the need of schools
7. Virtual Meeting with principals and representative teachers
8. Preparation of checklist on the need of schools
9. Digital awareness on menstruation hygiene and safety
10. Interaction Program on “Menstruation matters in good schools”
11. Group Formation and orientation program with Focal teachers and Kishoree group – 180 Kishoree
12. Celebration of International Menstrual Hygiene Day
13. Interaction Program on “My Menstruation’s Journey”
14. Interaction Program on COVID Pandemic and its effect on mental health
15. 3 days Virtual Training cum Workshop on Making Reusable Sanitary Napkins: participation of 150 participants
16. Consultation and Planning with principals on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in Schools
17. School/ Field Visit: activities for preparation of disposable facilities in toilets in schools
18. Development of action plan to achieve results by Kishoree Committee
19. Sending letter to 1,000 principals
20. Interaction with boys on Menstruation and Menstrual Cycle
21. 5 Days Interaction Program with Kishoree on Menstrual Hygiene Management at school