Well-functioning Markets as a Lever for Improving Menstrual Health
Menstrual health is an important contributor to health and well-being, education, workplace participation, and gender equality for girls and women. While access to menstrual products has improved over the last decade due to multistakeholder investments, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), limitations persist due to structural challenges leading to market failure and barriers to menstrual product access. This failure stems from information asymmetry, barriers to entry for product innovations, restrictive regulations, and approaches for increasing product access that inadvertently undercut market demand. This article proposes a market-based approach to address these structural barriers. A well-functioning market can sustainably and equitably provide access to menstrual products for all people who menstruate, in all contexts.
Menstrual health is an important contributor to health and well-being, education, workplace participation, and gender equality for girls and women. While access to menstrual products has improved over the last decade due to multistakeholder investments, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), limitations persist due to structural challenges leading to market failure and barriers to menstrual product access. This failure stems from information asymmetry, barriers to entry for product innovations, restrictive regulations, and approaches for increasing product access that inadvertently undercut market demand. This article proposes a market-based approach to address these structural barriers. A well-functioning market can sustainably and equitably provide access to menstrual products for all people who menstruate, in all contexts.