A vicious cycle of silence: what are the implications of the menstruation taboo for the fulfilment of women and girls' human rights and, to what extent is the menstruation taboo addressed by international human rights law and human rights bodies?

Although half the population of the world has menstruated since the beginning of time, it has been a taboo topic in cultures across the world for almost as long. Recent grass roots activism in the development community, including the first ever menstrual hygiene day held in 2014, has highlighted the potential impact of menstruation in a poor income setting on women’s rights to sanitation, health and education. However, it has remained largely neglected by International stakeholders ostensibly working towards the realisation of universal human rights. A documentary analysis of the core international human rights treaties and key human rights body reports by relevant Treaty bodies found an overwhelming silence on menstruation, with identified references consisting largely of ambiguous allusions that provide an inadequate framework for addressing menstrual hygiene. This paper discusses why these international bodies have remained silent for so long; how this silence reflects the androcentric nature of the United Nations human rights system and forms part of a broader cyclical process of (re)producing the menstruation taboo; and the political consequences of this silence because as long as it prevails, action to address women and girls’ needs so that they are not held back by menstruation will be limited.