News
UNESCO-IPCW launch E-Course on Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management
New Delhi, 8 April 2026 – UNESCO, with the Indraprastha College for Women, launched “Empower Flow: A Certificate Course for Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management (MHHM),” under the Spotlight Red initiative.
The massive open online course (MOOC) is designed for all genders as a self-paced, accessible to all 40-hour online certificate course - intended for adolescents and young adults.
From accurate knowledge and safe materials to trained educators and adequate sanitation, UNESCO’s 2014 Good Policy and Practice in Health Education identified eight components for effective programmes on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM).
Empower Flow works across all eight components. It talks about the beliefs and ideas that we hold about menstruation today which have evolved over thousands of years and have travelled across the globe. It will address the science of menstruation, the social norms that surround it, the health conditions connected to it, and the policy frameworks needed to ensure comprehensive and inclusive menstrual health education. The course will ensure that learners go beyond MHHM towards gender justice and equity.
The successful completion of the course results in a recognized certification.
Menstruation must never be the reason a girl stops learning. Health, dignity and education are not separate concerns. We remain steadfast in ensuring that every learner—regardless of gender, geography, ability or circumstance—has the knowledge, dignity and support needed to complete their education.
Since 2023, the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia has been running the Spotlight Red initiative to address the gaps in menstrual education and access to sanitary products.
Under the initiative, five modules on MHHM were published in 2023 – partnership with P&G Whisper, targeted towards Teachers and Educators; Gender Empowerment; Persons with Disabilities (PWDs); Children and Young Adults; and Well-Being through Nutrition. In addition, a comprehensive National Survey and Gap Analysis report was also published.
