Keywords
menstrual injustice
school sanitation
schoolgirls
How to Cite
Abstract
This study examines the menstrual experiences of schoolgirls in relation to access to water, sanitation, and institutional practices in schools. Employing a qualitative approach, the study uses thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 12 schoolgirls aged 13–17 years in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. The findings reveal that limited access to clean water, adequate sanitation, and supportive facilities compels schoolgirls to undertake various forms of blood work, including carrying menstrual supplies, delaying pad changes, managing menstrual waste discreetly, and constantly anticipating menstrual leakage. These experiences demonstrate that inadequate infrastructure is not merely a technical deficiency but a form of infrastructural violence that shifts the burden of menstrual management onto female bodies. The findings underscore that meeting menstrual needs in schools requires gender-responsive policies and the provision of safe, adequate, and dignified infrastructure for schoolgirls
References
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