New research shows extreme weather is quietly disrupting how billions manage menstrual health — and it's going unaddressed.
What's happening?
In a study published by Frontiers in Global Women's Health, a team from UNICEF and the Global Menstrual Collective reviewed data from around the world.
They found that floods, droughts, and heatwaves damage the basic systems needed to manage periods — clean toilets, running water, stocked clinics, and safe supplies.
When that infrastructure fails, periods get harder and less safe to manage. Girls and women end up improvising with whatever they can find. Often, this leads to tragic results.
In southern Bangladesh, for example, girls are stuck washing cloth pads in salty water. That's led to rashes, infections, and missed school days. And when homes flood or roads are cut off, even basic hygiene routines fall apart.
Girls and women in places like this are suffering because they can't access what many of us take for granted.
Why it matters
When people talk about extreme weather events, they bring up water shortages, property damage, or packed emergency rooms. Not periods.
Menstruation doesn't pause for disaster, though. But without privacy, clean water, or safe products, it becomes a health risk. The report explains that menstrual care touches every part of life — education, work, safety, and long-term reproductive health. Yet climate plans rarely even mention it.
This problem hits hardest in low-income areas, where climate impacts land first and support systems are thin. That turns a health need into a human rights issue.
"Climate change endangers girls and women's sexual and reproductive health and rights, including their menstrual health and hygiene practices," the report stated. "However, menstrual health and hygiene is rarely discussed in the context of climate change."
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Absolutely 👍 What's being done?
Some efforts are already in place. UNICEF's emergency hygiene kits now include soap, underwear, pads, and information. The Sphere Handbook offers period-specific guidance during disaster response.
Countries like India and Honduras are starting to add menstrual care to climate and disaster planning.
Still, the study says product donations aren't enough. What's missing is real investment in safe infrastructure, education, and policies that hold up under extreme weather.
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