Toward global standards for menstrual products: SHF allocates grant to Swedish Institute for Standards to bolster participation of emerging economies

Global UN fund awards USD 250,000 grant for the development and adoption of global menstrual product standards. Supporting Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in their participation in the SIS-led process will contribute to the removal of one of the biggest barriers to access quality, affordable menstrual products for hundreds of millions of women and girls.

GENEVA/STOCKHOLM, 2 October 2024 - The UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is announcing a grant of USD 250,000 to the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) to support the participation of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in the development of global quality standards for menstrual products. As the secretariat of the technical committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) - ISO/TC 338 Menstrual Products - SIS will use the funding to provide National Standards Bodies (NSBs) from LMICs with training, partnering with more experienced NSBs and supporting up to 10 countries to fully participate in all aspects of the standardization work and encourage subsequent national adoption.

Today, more than 600 million women and girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) - a staggering one in three - rely on toilet paper, rags and other non-purpose-made materials to manage their menstruation, impacting their health, education, socio-economic participation and ultimately their future. While single-use pads or tampons are prohibitively expensive for many, more affordable menstrual product innovations face an important barrier to be imported and sold in LMICs: the lack of global product standards which are fundamental to manufacturing, retail and trade. The ISO Technical Committee led by SIS, is presently working to develop global menstrual product standards in four categories: single- and multi-use products worn externally or internally, covering everything from pads and tampons to period-underwear and menstrual cups, by mid-2027. The resulting standards will become the global framework but national adoption depends on each country. Currently, a little over 15% of LMICs are represented in the technical committee, while their needs are the greatest.

“It is hard to believe that the process to develop global quality standards for products used by almost 2 billion people every month has only just started recently and it is up to us now to ensure that this process is truly global,” said Sue Coates, Deputy Executive Director SHF and Lead for Capital M, SHF’s market-led moonshot for menstrual health.

“Global quality standards will have direct impacts on the menstrual product choices available to the millions of women and girls in LMICs currently relying on non-purpose-made materials. By ensuring an inclusive, global process, we can level the playing field, for countries to participate in the process and adopt the standards nationally, for markets and businesses to grow and scale, and most importantly, for women and girls and the choices they make,” Coates added. 

“We are grateful for the SHF donation, which allows us to continue our long-term work on this important initiative. Most importantly, it will enable LMICs to fully participate in the development. The funding will also be used to raise awareness about the benefits of standardization in these countries, and how it can increase productivity and competitiveness, ultimately improving health and prosperity,” said Annika Andreasen, CEO, SIS. 

ISO standards are global industry standards. Defined as jointly agreed solutions to recurrent problems, they are found in every area: from the simplest nail and screw to data communications, healthcare, and the environment. Standards have an impact on virtually every aspect of our lives. While voluntary, they form the basis for many ISO members when they adopt these into national binding standards. Including LMICs into the development is crucial to reflect the needs and preferences of women and girls around the world, and to leverage the experience of several LMICs in developing standards for reusable menstrual products. 

“Uganda is one of the countries that has made significant progress in menstrual health products standardization and we can offer expertise and share the information and research we have conducted. This will be beneficial in the development of the international standard. Standards help to set consistent requirements for quality and safety, so at the end consumers get products that meet a certain, defined quality and standard…whether they are in Africa, Uganda, or more advanced economies,” stated Elijah Kiwanuka, Technical Product Manager, AFRIpads while representing the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) at a recent ISO meeting in Copenhagen. 

SHF funding will enable SIS to increase the participation of LMICs and support the dissemination of the final standards in these countries building the foundations for increased manufacturing, retail and trade. This is essential to ensure women and girls can choose from a range of quality, affordable menstrual products where they live. This is our ambition with Capital M: build a thriving menstrual health market for all. and also the focus of a new Commitment to Action launched with the Clinton Global Initiative in New York this week. Other donors to the SIS Capacity Building program include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information on the international committee ISO/TC 338 Menstrual Products, visit https://www.iso.org/committee/8933440.html 

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For further information and interview requests, please contact:

Rucha Naware, Communications Specialist, SHF: rucha.naware@shfund.org 

About the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF):

The UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) works to achieve universal access to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health through market-based approaches. SHF works with Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to catalyze investment into robust, climate-resilient sanitation economies and the menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) market. Capital M is SHF’s market-led moonshot for menstrual health. Find out more on www.shfund.org and www.capital-m.org. 

About the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS)

Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) is a part of ISO and CEN and manages a network of experts who work to create international standards. Any stakeholder can take initiatives and collaborate on best practices that promote Sweden's competitiveness and encourage the smart, sustainable development of society. SIS acts as project manager for Swedish efforts to develop international standards together with ISO (globally) and CEN (Europe). We strive to increase Sweden's influence on international collaboration and to ensure that best practices are shared. SIS is responsible for the international ISO committee 338 Menstrual products and the development of these standards. So far, over 40 countries are engaged in this effort.