Do sanitation facilities in primary and secondary schools address Menstrual Hygiene needs? A study from Mzuzu City, Malawi

Apart from the traditional methods of improving Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), such as education and provision of menstrual absorbents, good MHM in primary and secondary schools can be achieved through provision of conducive infrastructure which provides privacy for girls to change and dispose-off sanitary material safely. The aim of the study was to establish the sufficiency of the sanitation facilities to meet the needs of adolescent girls during their menstruation periods while at school. Data were collected in 9 primary and 5 secondary schools within Mzuzu City, Malawi. Interviews were conducted with 228 (131 Primary and 97 Secondary) school girls, 13 Focus Group Discussions with girls and 22 Key Informant Interviews with Head Teachers and Senior female teachers. Direct observation was also made on sanitation facilities. Findings of the study reveal that gaps and areas for potential improvement exist in both primary and secondary schools. To make the school environment conducive for girls to manage their menstruation while at school, this study recommends improvements to ensure enough privacy, connection of piped water to sanitation facilities, provision of space for girls to clean themselves and change clothes and disposal facilities or drying space for used sanitary material. This will require low-cost sanitation facilities designed through girls’ involvement and revisiting existing policies and proper strategies for reinforcing them. •Conducive infrastructure is key to good Menstrual Hygiene Management in schools.•Study evaluated if school sanitation facilities meet girls' menstruation needs.•Sanitation facilities in schools do not sufficiently address Menstrual Hygiene needs.•Low-cost facilities designed with girls' participation is recommended.