Menstrual Health, Worker Productivity and Well-being among Female Bangladeshi Garment Workers

Kristina Czura, Andreas Menzel and Martina Miotto

CERGE-EI Working Papers from The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague

Abstract: We conducted a randomised controlled trial (RCT) on a sample of 1,000 female garment workers in three factories in Bangladesh, offering access to free sanitary pads at work to 500 of the workers. We cross-randomised participation in information sessions for hygienic menstrual health care implemented by an experienced local NGO, and we vary the salience of commonly perceived taboos in the pad collection process. We find effects of the free pads and information sessions on self-reported pad use, but not of the taboo variations. We find effects on absenteeism and adherence to traditional restrictive and health-adverse taboos surrounding menstruation, but not on worker turnover or self-reported well-being at work. PRELIMINARY VERSION: The trial is currently being repeated between September 2019 and April 2020, with an additional 1,000 workers to reach the final targeted sample size.literature.

Keywords: menstrual health; taboos; productivity; export manufacturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J32 J81 M54 O14 O15 O35 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-hap, nep-hea and nep-lma
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Working Paper: Menstrual Health, Worker Productivity and Well-being among Female Bangladeshi Garment Workers (2019)
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