Menstrual Hygiene Management Programme in Palestine
Enabling Palestinian Girls to Reach Their Full Potential
Highlights
Lessons learned and way forward
Delivering quality MHM resources and information is important for building the confidence and freedom of girls during adolescence. It is also a gateway for other gender-transformative interventions, such as life skills, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and community-level support. A number of emerging good practices demonstrated by the MHM programme have been highlighted throughout the reviewed documents and discussions with the different stakeholders. Based on these, the following are good practices that were learned throughout the programme implementation:
-Evidence-based: Research and evidence-based approaches are critical to establish a case and allow an entry point for an advocacy dialogue around sensitive issues like menstruation and girls specific needs.
-Inclusive commitment: The inclusive commitment of the MoEHE with all its structure, in addition to the community support, ensure sustainable actions and lead to successful utilization of the initiative.
-Innovation: UNICEF seized opportunities to advance results for children in Palestine through innovative initiatives, particularly through the introduction of technological apps to address MHM.
-Capacity strengthening: Capacity building for school-based health coordinators and teachers give teachers enough confidence to actively implement MHM and WASH in school activities.
-Child-led activities: It’s important to support child-led WASH activities since such activities appear more sustainable when they are given adult support. Children’s creativity can be stimulated by giving them the opportunity to make the spaces their own and letting them adapt them to better suit their needs.
-Cross programmatic interventions: UNICEF SoP promoted cross-sectoral linkages in relation to Early Childhood Development (ECD), child protection, and the development of joint programming.
-Strong M&E system: Regular monitoring and constant follow-up visits keep teachers and children on the alert in order to maintain best practice and sustain appropriate behaviour.
-Support the scale-up: The pilot showed successful trends in improving the self-confidence of girls as well as the attendance rate. It is important to maintain a dialogue with donors to strengthen the programme and scale it up in all primary schools.
