The impacts of climate change extend far beyond rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns. One of its least-discussed consequences is its effect on menstrual health, a critical yet often overlooked aspect of women's and girls’ well-being. Across the globe, climate-driven crises such as droughts, floods, wildfires, and displacement are intensifying the barriers women face in managing their menstrual hygiene, particularly in low-income and marginalized communities.

Climate Stress in East Africa: A Case from Uganda

In East Africa, Uganda exemplifies the growing crisis. The country is increasingly facing unpredictable rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts, resulting in limited access to clean water. According to Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment, over 60% of rural households now struggle to access safe and sufficient water. This directly impacts menstrual hygiene, especially for women in rural areas like Karamoja, where water scarcity forces many to use unsafe water sources for washing or reuse of menstrual products—exposing them to infections and other health complications.

Environmental Harm from Menstrual Products

The link between menstrual hygiene and environmental sustainability is critical. There is a widespread use of non-biodegradable disposable products, such as sanitary pads and tampons, and this has serious environmental consequences. It’s estimated that a single disposable sanitary pad can take 500 to 800 years to decompose. In Uganda alone, over 2.5 million girls and women of reproductive age use disposable sanitary products, contributing significantly to menstrual waste.

Globally, more than 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons are discarded annually, often ending up in landfills, water bodies, or being burned releasing toxins and microplastics that pollute soil, water, and air. In many communities, pads are disposed of in pit latrines or burned in open spaces, leading to air quality deterioration and added strain on sanitation systems. Such methods also put sanitation workers at risk of exposure to hazardous waste.

Regional Impacts: Kenya, Bangladesh, and Beyond

In neighboring Kenya, climate-induced droughts have displaced entire communities, particularly in arid areas like Turkana County. During the 2019 drought, women in informal settlements had no access to sanitary pads, forcing them to rely on materials such as old rags, leaves, and newspapers, drastically increasing their risk of infections and reproductive health problems. Similar patterns have been seen in Bangladesh, where recurrent flooding limits access to clean water and menstrual hygiene products for women living in temporary shelters.

Climate disasters are not limited to low-income countries. In Australia, the 2019–2020 wildfires disrupted supply chains, leading to shortages of menstrual products in affected areas. Globally, 1 in 4 women of reproductive age lives in a crisis-affected area, yet menstrual health rarely features in emergency response plans.

Menstrual Health and Inequality

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, over 500 million women and girls worldwide lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management (MHM). This includes access to clean water, private toilets, soap, and disposal systems. The effects are severe: poor menstrual health can lead to reproductive tract infections, absenteeism from school or work, and decreased social participation compounding existing gender-based inequalities.

In refugee camps like Bidi Bidi in northern Uganda home to over 270,000 displaced people climate-induced displacement has deepened the menstrual health crisis. Humanitarian agencies often struggle to meet the menstrual health needs of adolescent girls and women, leaving many without pads or clean water. For migrants, the homeless, and residents of informal settlements, these challenges are even more pronounced.

A Call for Climate-Resilient Menstrual Health Solutions

Sustainable menstrual solutions such as reusable cloth pads, menstrual cups, and period underwear offer both environmental and health benefits. However, barriers to adoption persist. These include societal stigma, limited awareness, lack of privacy for cleaning reusable products, and inconsistent access to water and soap. In Uganda, for example, less than 40% of schools have adequate WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities, undermining efforts to implement reusable solutions among students.

To address this growing crisis, governments must integrate menstrual health into climate resilience and emergency preparedness policies. This includes:

• Investing in eco-friendly, affordable menstrual products
• Strengthening WASH infrastructure in schools, health centers, and refugee settlements
• Supporting community-based awareness campaigns that tackle menstrual stigma
• Including menstrual health in disaster response protocols

As we respond to the crisis, we must recognize that not all people who menstruate are women. Gender non-conforming individuals, transgender men, and intersex people also face unique menstrual health challenges, often compounded by social exclusion and discrimination. A climate-resilient menstrual health strategy must be inclusive, rights-based, and intersectional, addressing the diverse needs of all who menstruate regardless of gender identity, age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

Written By

Sharon Natukunda

Climate Justice Advocate

2ND Runner Up

Miss Climate Change A wareness Ug

Source : Written By Sharon Natukunda Climate Justice Advocate 2ND Runner Up Miss Climate Change A wareness Ug