Tupa Kitambaa Jali Afya Yako
Menstrual Hygiene Challenges of Urban women and girls
The rapid urbanization and development of megacities across many low- and middle-income countries create new challenges in global health; this is particularly true for women and girls who are disproportionately affected by poor urban planning, inadequate sanitation infrastructure, and limited access to water.
In Tanzania, Dar es Salaam is recognized as a fast-growing megacity with 70% categorized as urban areas, urban serve to reinforce many gendered inequalities, as reflected in poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes and various other health and well-being indicators.
Women and adolescent girls in urban slums such as the Tandale ward of Kinondoni Municipal are particularly vulnerable in relation to their experiences of menstruation, given the limited access they may have to safe, private spaces with water for changing, washing, bathing, and laundering reusable pads, menstrual cloths and pads, and insufficient access to adequate disposal mechanisms for used menstrual materials
Menstrual Hygiene Challenges of Kinondoni Municipal women and girls
Inadequate WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities, particularly in public places, such as workplaces (Markets and bus stations), can pose a major obstacle to urban women and girls. The lack of separate toilets with doors that can be safely closed, or the unavailability of means to dispose of used sanitary pads and water to wash hands, means that women and girls face challenges in maintaining their menstrual hygiene in a private, safe and dignified manner.
In Kinondoni Municipal, estimates suggest 85% of adolescent girls and poor women living in the municipal due to economic hardship and poverty resort to unhygienic solutions, most commonly strips of cloth, which are difficult to keep clean and more likely to spread fungi and infection, or leak blood onto the user’s clothes.
The potential humiliation that results, plus inadequate water and sanitation facilities in marketplaces, and bus stations, results in thousands of poor urban women and girls living undignified life during menstruation which hinders their active participation in economic activities and livelihoods. The situation becomes more challenging for women and girls due to insufficient MHM facilities, and poor access to water and hygiene services as available facilities do not cater for feminine hygiene especially Menstrual Hygiene.
Introduction of Tupa Kitambaa Project Phase 2
Tupa Kitambaa Campaign in Kinondoni not only aim at creating awareness and support women and girls to access improved Menstrual Hygiene Management services but also improving MHM facilities in the Municipality targeting public spaces such as Market places, bus stations in which these places they are used by women and girls daily.
Providing adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Menstrual Hygiene services are critical to improving the survival, health and development of women and girls. As we are embarking on a long-term partnership with development partners, we have considered extending our engagement in more tangible outcomes and sustainable operation of MHM challenges in Kinondoni Municipality. The Municipal has a population of 1,134,211 total population being 551,019 males and 583,192 females. The project target 65% of the female population as direct beneficiaries.
We have identified 10 marketplaces and bus stations in which the majority of users are women who are hustling to meet their daily needs as small and medium entrepreneurs and commuters. The marketplaces and bus stations already have toilets in place but the design didn't consider the needs of women during menstruation.
Results
