Call for Submissions

 Special Issue on Menstrual Health and Hygiene

 Published by the Centre for Development Policy and Practice (CDPP)

 To be released at Menstruation Dialogue 2026 | Organised by Goonj

Official Announcement Date: 31 May 2025 (Menstruation Dialogue 2025)
 

The Centre for Development Policy and Practice (CDPP), Goonj invites research scholars, practitioners, field-based organizations, and development sector professionals to submit original contributions for a Special Issue on Menstrual Health and Hygiene, to be released as a publication at the Menstruation Dialogue 2026, hosted annually by Goonj.

This special issue seeks to highlight multidisciplinary perspectives, lived realities, and policy-practice frameworks around menstrual health — as a public health, gender justice, and development concern. This special issue will serve as a platform to amplify voices from both the grassroots and academic communities working on issues of dignity, equity, and access related to menstruation.

In Collaboration With:

Goonj – A leading grassroots organization working across India to normalize menstruation through its initiative Not Just a Piece of Cloth (NJPC) and the annual Menstruation Dialogue, which brings together changemakers, policymakers, and communities to reimagine menstrual health through inclusive and locally rooted practices.

Focus Areas (Indicative, Not Exhaustive):

Structural Inequities and Lived Realities

• Caste, Class, Disability, and Gender Identity in Menstrual Experiences
• Trans and Non-Binary Menstruators’ Access to Resources and Care
• A Dignity and Agency Lens on Menstruation Policy Impact
• Cultural Taboos, Media Narratives, and Representations of Menstruation
• Religion, Region, and Intergenerational Practices Affecting Menstrual Health

2. Policy, Law, and Governance

• State and National Policy Frameworks on Menstrual Health
• WASH Infrastructure Gaps and Implementation Challenges
• Legal Rights, Dignity, and Policy Reforms (e.g., Menstrual Leave)
• Menstruation Policy Innovations and Learnings from the Global South

3. Education, Work, and Institutions

• Menstrual Health in School and Higher Education Systems
• Menstrual Health and Workplace Inclusion
• Gender-Sensitive Curricula and Teacher Training on MHH
• Access to Menstrual Products in Institutional Settings

4. Climate, Ecology, and Crisis Response

• Climate Emergencies and Menstruation – A Gendered Lens
• Menstruation Management Systems During Climate Emergencies
• Sustainability and Menstrual Waste Management
• Ecological Justice and Environmentally Friendly Menstrual Products

5. Markets, Community Action, and Innovation

• Indian Menstrual Products Market: Gaps and Possibilities
• Innovative Finance and Resourcing for Menstrual Health Solutions
• Community-Led Innovations and Grassroots Interventions in MHH
• Social Enterprises and Local Supply Chains for Menstrual Products

6. Infrastructure, Technology, and Health

• Infrastructural Disparities in Urban and Rural Menstrual Health Management
• Access to Sanitation Facilities, Menstrual Products, and Waste Disposal Systems
• Health Impacts of Using Painkillers to Manage Menstrual Pain
• Technological Innovations in Menstrual Health Tracking and Management

Timeline

Submission Guidelines

• Abstracts (300–400 words) should outline the theme, research/practice base, and relevance.
• Full papers (maximum 5,000 words including references) must be original, unpublished, and adhere to APA 7th edition format.
• Submissions should be in English and sent in Word format (.docx).
• We welcome academic research, field-based case studies, interviews, visual essays, and policy notes.

Submit your abstracts and papers to Info@cdpp.co.in with the Subject Line: MH&H Special Issue Submission – [Author/Organization Name]. For queries or collaboration proposals, please visit: www.cdpp.co.in