Improved menstrual health and the workplace: An RCT with female Bangladeshi garment workers

Kristina Czura, Andreas Menzel and Martina Miotto

Journal of Development Economics, 2024, vol. 166, issue C

Abstract: Menstrual hygiene practices in low-income countries are often limited by lack of finances and information, with potentially adverse consequences for women’s well-being and workplace outcomes. In a randomized controlled trial with around 1,900 female workers from four Bangladeshi garment factories, we relax both constraints individually and jointly by providing free sanitary pads and information on hygienic menstrual practices. Both access to sanitary pads and information improve menstrual practices, either by the adoption of new products, or by knowledge gains and improved use of traditional materials, and both interventions improve health outcomes. However, these positive effects do not translate to better labor outcomes, such as earnings and work attendance.

Keywords: Menstrual health; Health behavior; Labor force participation; Export manufacturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J32 J81 M54 O14 O15 O35 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Working Paper: Improved Menstrual Health and the Workplace: An RCT with Female Bangladeshi Garment Workers (2023)
Working Paper: Improved menstrual health and the workplace: an RCT with female Bangladeshi garment workers (2023)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:166:y:2024:i:c:s030438782300130x

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2023.103174

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