Table 3 Proposed menstrual policies by areas of action

General menstrual policymaking

Create internal political structures so that menstrual policies can be devised and sustained long-term

Develop participatory-based menstrual public policies, so that communities can be actively involved in menstrual policymaking

Men and people who do not menstruate should also be a target of menstrual policies (e.g., to work on menstrual taboo and stigma among men)

Menstrual education, taboo and stigma

Integrate intersectionality-based menstrual education in primary schools, high schools, and universities. It should be first offered during primary school and before menarche

Education should focus on debunking menstrual taboo and stigma, on raising body awareness (to be able to identify menstrual health problems) and foster menstrual care, and on all stages of menstrual experiences (i.e., including perimenopause and menopause)

Educational resources should be available to all regardless of their socioeconomic context

Improve and promote menstrual health and equity education among health professionals and other professionals in education, social and policymaking

Promote menstrual knowledge to the population (and particularly to families and parents) through community workshops with health professionals

Involve community agents in menstrual education in healthcare centers

Raise awareness on the needs of specific populations (LGTBIQ + , vulnerable migrants, functional diversity, socioeconomic vulnerable people). Ensure the representation of the diversities in menstrual experiences, including those of gender non-conforming individuals

Implement mass media and public awareness-raising campaigns (e.g., on women and PWM’s rights, disseminating “menstrual health” and “menstrual inequity” definitions, and informing about menstrual products)

Create a specific information campaign to inform about the quality and potential harms of menstrual products

Disseminate menstrual information through social media networks, especially for young people

Create community spaces for social support on menstrual care and to foster emotional health. For example, community agents may foster menstrual education amongst people who do not (or cannot) access healthcare services

Consider the creation of public spaces for menstrual education and management during municipal festivities

Projection of menstrual-themed films and series on public TV channels

Menstrual healthcare

Develop a health strategy which includes menstrual health actions

Restructure the architecture and design of healthcare centres to transform them into more welcoming and less hostile spaces

Promote the creation of multidisciplinary professional teams that recognize gender and functional diversity, and that consider diverse populations (especially LGTBIQ + , migrant and socioeconomic vulnerable communities)

Addressing menstruation and the menstrual cycle as signs of health in health consultations

Foster agentic menstrual healthcare services (e.g., ensure and enable women and people who menstruate to make their own informed decisions)

Demedicalise and depathologise the menstrual cycle and menstruation in healthcare services (e.g., go beyond medicines prescriptions and offer integrated health options)

Ensure equal access to good-quality and agentic menstrual consultations, regardless of socioeconomic status and race

Menstrual products and menstrual management

Apply tax reductions on menstrual products. This should include cloth-made reusable menstrual products^*

Dispense free menstrual products in public spaces such as schools, universities, healthcare services, public toilets or community pharmacies

Especially ensure the accessibility of products amongst socioeconomically vulnerable populations. Make free products also available at food banks, Social Services and prisons

Ensure students can access kits with spare clothes in schools

Adapt toilets to menstrual management needs. Ensure the provision of soap, toilet paper, menstrual products, a sink with running water, a bin to dispose menstrual products, and a hanger for clothes in menstrual management facilities. These should also be clean, have a well-functioning lock to ensure privacy and safety

Adapt toilets for menstrual management so that are inclusive to gender non-conforming menstruators

Develop a benefits system for socioeconomically deprived women and people who menstruate, to ensure affordability to menstrual products

Promote the use of reusable menstrual products

Develop new and innovative menstrual products considering functional diversity

Menstrual care in workplaces

Work on developing and implementing adequate and non-stigmatising menstrual leave options

Ensure workplace allow for flexible working hours during menstruation

Ensure the option of teleworking during menstruation (if applicable to the job characteristics)

Create and adapt workplace spaces to the menstrual management needs (e.g., adapt toilet facilities and rest areas to promote menstrual self-care)

Menstrual research

Create a menstrual health and equity repository, to share knowledge, resources and research data

Conduct participatory-based research on menstrual health and (in)equity

Guide menstrual policymaking though research processes

Conduct research based on (peri)menopause