Menstrual health in schools

extension actions in professional and technological education institutions

Abstract

Menstrual poverty is a deeply rooted issue in the daily lives of people who menstruate. It is characterized primarily by the lack of access to appropriate products and knowledge about one’s body, a reality faced by thousands of girls, women, and other menstruators on a daily basis. This problem underscores the social vulnerability and inequality experienced across the country. Menstrual poverty affects approximately 26% of Brazilian adolescents aged 15 to 17, meaning these young individuals cannot afford sanitary products. It is estimated that one in ten students misses school during their menstrual period due to this issue. This paper presents a segment of a research and outreach project developed at a vocational and technological education institution, which was funded for three years through institutional grants and involved around nine scholarship students from an integrated high school program. The primary objective of this text is to offer an experiential report on the project's stages of development. Secondary objectives include presenting the research findings on menstrual vulnerability in Brazil and the region where the institution is located, as well as describing the outreach activities conducted by the institution aimed at mitigating or informing the school community about this issue. The methodology used to investigate menstrual vulnerability involved documentary research for the national data and a structured questionnaire to assess cases of menstrual vulnerability within the institution. Both data sets were analyzed using exploratory data analysis. The findings suggest that discussing menstrual health is extremely necessary, especial-ly in school environments, to dismantle the existing taboos and stigmas, provide accurate information on the subject, and offer ways to mitigate potential cases of menstrual vulnerability.