10 years in Menstrual Health: What have we lost along the way?

By Dilip Pattubala

It’s been ten years since I started dedicating almost every minute from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep towards the cause of menstrual health. Today, on International Menstrual Hygiene Day, we celebrate a remarkable journey from a handful of organizations in 2013 to nearly 100 in India and over 1,000 (or far more) worldwide, as per the members of The Menstrual Health Hub.

We have made big strides in these ten years — from viewing sanitary pads as the magic wand to solve all problems related to menstruation to embracing an evolved definition that affirms menstrual health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in relation to the menstrual cycle. We’ve witnessed the uptake of products we once resisted, like menstrual cups, mind-blowing product innovations like wearable panties and AI chatbots, groundbreaking research, national policies like the recent menstrual hygiene policy development in India, and global conversations at events like Women Deliver and the UNGA.

However, as I was reflecting on the last years, I want to take a moment to learn and honor, by acknowledging what we have lost along the way. In India alone, from the little I know and have seen, over 44 organizations have shut down or moved away from menstrual health, including product manufacturers, innovators, and educators. Many visionary entrepreneurs have moved to other careers, and several long-standing organizations struggle to scale. Global collectives and national networks that have bootstrapped and come together with ambitious visions are not able to do as much as they hoped. For the little ecosystem we are, this churn is very real.

A lot of this could be very different if we had one thing: funding. There are only a handful of funders who are invested and placing big bets on menstrual health. These funders are beginning to feel exhausted due to a lack of momentum and solidarity from other funders. Even today, most funders are not convinced that menstrual health and hygiene is a basic human need. Apparently, having half the world’s population menstruate monthly isn’t compelling enough evidence.

While we have an opportunity to make magnanimous strides, with the increasing growth and limited resources, the churn is going to be far more real in the coming decade. We have so much more to lose. Survival of the fittest might be too ironic in this case.

If we envision a #PeriodFriendlyWorld in the next 10 years, we need funding. We need big bets. We need sustainable financial models. Without these, we risk losing the progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve.

As we celebrate our progress, it’s critical to ask ourselves: what are we losing along the way? What will it take to shift these patterns? What are we going to lose if we don’t shift? Are we ready to learn from the journey so far to course correct and reimagine our collective impact? Because we as an ecosystem have succeeded when we have sustained and travelled together and far.

As we reflect on these questions, a big shout out to the resilience of those who continue to champion menstrual health despite the odds, and those who have contributed along the way. Here’s to another decade of progress and unwavering commitment!

In the coming decade, let’s work together towards a #PeriodFriendlyWorld.