Menstrual Health

Periods shouldn’t hold girls back!

Plan International is working with Kimberly-Clark and its Kotex® brand to ensure girls and young women have equal access to essential care on their journeys through puberty. We’re contributing to a world where every girl has the support she needs to stay in school, pursue her dreams and reach her full potential.

Girls have big dreams. They deserve the care to reach them.

On any given day, more than 300 million women and girls around the world are menstruating. But far too many are left without the resources, support or safe spaces they need to manage their periods.

For girls, periods can interrupt education, confidence and progress.

Schools often don’t have bathrooms with running water or period products — so girls stay home.

Teasing and shame make them feel like they need to hide instead of asking for support.

Lack of supplies forces some girls to use rags, paper or other unsafe materials, which can lead to disease.

Opportunities — from leadership training to job skills — are missed when care isn’t accessible.

And across many communities, periods are still surrounded by harmful beliefs — seen as something to hide or be ashamed of. That kind of message sticks with girls.

We’re here to change the narrative — and the systems around it. For every girl.

Here’s why we say menstrual health, not menstrual hygiene.

A partnership that’s creating real change

Three generations of women in Vietnam stand together holding Kotex® pads, representing changing attitudes toward menstruation. — In Vietnam, three generations of women reflect on how conversations around menstruation have changed. With support from Plan International and Kotex®, today’s girls are learning to speak openly and confidently about their periods. | © Plan International

Since 2020, Plan International and the Kimberly-Clark Foundation, alongside the Kotex® brand, have reached more than 11 million people through programs that support girls’ menstrual health across eight countries, including 4.5 million people in 2024 alone.

Here’s where we’re making an impact — with local teams, peer leaders and supportive communities working together.

Together, we’re:

Helping girls learn about their bodies and their rights.

Explore this menstrual health education guide we co-created with Kotex® to see how we’re supporting learning in the classroom and beyond.

Making sure girls have access to the supplies they need and improving bathrooms and creating period-friendly school environments.

Training youth leaders to guide their peers and start open conversations.

Creating community-wide programs that include boys, parents and teachers.

Boys in Guatemala participate in a menstrual health education session, learning how to use pads as part of a Plan International and Kotex® initiative to promote understanding and support across genders. — In Guatemala, boys learn how to use pads as part of a menstrual health education session supported by Plan International and Kotex® — helping foster understanding and respect across genders. | Esdras Castillo, © Plan International

Progress you can measure

A Plan International staff member in Guatemala teaches a menstrual health lesson using anatomical diagrams to help girls understand their bodies and cycles. — In Guatemala, a Plan staff member leads a menstrual health education session to help girls understand their bodies, their cycles and their rights, breaking down harmful norms with knowledge. | Izla Bethdavid, © Plan International

In 2024 alone:

Over 2.7million people reached through public campaigns
More than 12,000 menstrual kits delivered to girls and families
522 young people trained as peer educators to lead menstrual health education
In four countries, girls were 10% more likely to stay in school while on their period