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

Menstruation can limit female labor force participation, especially in low-income countries, where menstrual hygiene practices are constrained by lack of finances and information. 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.

We find positive effects on pad use, menstrual health knowledge, and labor outcomes such as earnings and work attendance. Our results suggest that health interventions like the one we study are most effective when they combine expert knowledge with opportunities for personal experimentation with health products.

Authors: Kristina Czura (UoG) Andreas Menzel (CERGE-EI) Martina Miotto (CERGE-EI, CAGE)

Speaker: Dr. Kristina Czura is Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen.

Please note that the seminar will take place via Microsoft Teams. If you like to participate in the seminar, please send an email beforehand to: jan.priebe@giga-hamburg.de. Upon registration you will receive an email invite including the Microsoft Teams link