Menstrual Hygiene Management in Sub-Saharan African Detention Settings: A Scoping Review Protocol

Menstruation, although a natural phenomenon, remains surrounded by persistent taboos and stigma. It therefore affects the rights, health, and dignity of girls and women worldwide, and particularly those of women deprived of liberty (WDL) in sub-Saharan Africa. Prisons in sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing a growing number of WDL. Menstrual hygiene practices among WDL in these settings are characterized by institutional barriers, taboos, stigma, and a lack of menstrual hygiene products, sanitation facilities, and menstrual waste management. It is therefore necessary to compile the available evidence on menstrual hygiene management in places of detention in sub-Saharan Africa in a scoping review. These evidence-based findings will guide future research and inform policymakers, prison authorities, and human rights organizations to improve menstrual hygiene conditions and protect the dignity and health of WDL.