In the remote steppe regions of Mongolia’s northern provinces, many adolescent girls still face a quiet challenge: managing menstruation safely, confidently and with dignity. Shaped by social taboos, limited access to appropriate facilities, and financial pressures on families, a natural monthly cycle can become a source of anxiety rather than a routine part of growing up.

But a new partnership is working to change that.

In a joint effort to support adolescent health and dignity, UNFPA and the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia have partnered to launch an initiative to create period-friendly schools for girls in remote Mongolia.

The Reality for Schoolgirls

While Mongolia has made commendable progress in adolescent reproductive health, menstrual health and hygiene remains a challenge, particularly in rural and remote areas. The statistics are telling: only 17 per cent of school-aged girls in the country have access to toilets that meet basic menstrual hygiene and public sanitation standards.

Beyond facilities, inflation and economic pressures have made safe menstrual products difficult for many rural families to afford. Compounding these practical challenges are misinformation and stigma surrounding menstruation, which can leave girls feeling isolated, ashamed, or excluded from daily social and school activities.

Restoring Confidence, One Community at a Time

The initiative steps directly into these gaps, focusing on selected districts in Selenge and Orkhon provinces. Targeting girls aged 13 to 17, it takes a multi-pronged approach to reduce stigma and improve support:

• Direct support: Providing girls with reliable access to safe, good-quality menstrual hygiene products.
• Improved school facilities: Helping schools to adapt facilities and create safer, more supportive environments for menstrual health and hygiene.
• Accurate education: Delivering youth-friendly workshops and educational activities to replace myths and misinformation with accurate, age-appropriate information about menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health.
• Community mobilization: Engaging parents, teachers and local leaders to foster more supportive and empathetic environments in schools and communities.

The goal is simple but important: to ensure that no girl has to miss school or feel ashamed because of her period, and that every girl can navigate adolescence with greater confidence and dignity.

A Shared Vision for an Equitable Future

This initiative is part of UNFPA’s broader commitment to working with government partners, civil society organizations and the private sector to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, promote gender equality, and empower young people to participate in leadership and decision-making.

By joining hands, UNFPA and China are doing more than distributing menstrual hygiene products. They are helping open conversations, challenge stigma, and build healthier, more inclusive communities where every girl can learn, participate and thrive.