Managing Menstrual Safety and Hygiene after Fire Disasters: A Qualitative Study of Women and Girls in Korail Slum, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Fire disasters are an ever-present danger in urban slum areas of Dhaka, particularly impacting women and girls by heightening their pre-existing vulnerabilities in menstrual safety and hygiene management. This study aims to examine the experiences of women and girls between 15-49 years of age in menstrual hygiene management in the aftermath of fire disasters in Korail Slum, Dhaka. A qualitative research study was conducted, based on 22 in-depth interviews of women and adolescent girls, along with 6 key informant interviews of NGO workers, community leaders, health workers, and disaster workers. The thematic findings of this study indicate that fire disasters have a severe impact on the menstrual hygiene management of women and girls in Korail Slum, resulting in considerable discomfort, distress, and dignity loss. Gender issues were also identified as an important factor in the menstrual hygiene management of women in the aftermath of fire disasters in urban slum areas of Dhaka. Although women have employed coping strategies in their menstrual hygiene management in the aftermath of fire disasters in Korail Slum, the findings of this study indicate that the support of institutions in menstrual hygiene management is scarce.