Transforming Harmful Social Norms: The Effect of Reducing Menstrual Stigma on Health Behaviors and Girls' Education

The stigma surrounding menstruation may prevent girls from accessing the information and products they need to manage menstruation effectively and healthily. Moreover, this stigma (and its resulting impacts on health behaviors) may reduce girls’ ability and desire to go to school, or to re-enter school after COVID- related interruptions, thereby having a lasting negative effect on both human capital accumulation and gender equity. In Madagascar, efforts are being carried out to recruit “Young Leaders,” school children who are willing to speak out against the harmful social norm, to act as advocates for menstrual hygiene in their school. This project seeks to test whether these Young Leaders can successfully reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation, improve health behaviors, and increase school attendance for girls.