Periods Should Not Prevent Learning

On the days she had her period, Nur Sadeka, 14, used to stay inside her shelter.

She wanted to attend her learning centre, but without proper menstrual materials, going outside felt difficult and embarrassing. She worried about stains, discomfort and that others would find out about her menstruation.

“Before, I felt ashamed to go outside the shelter and stayed home during my period because I did not have proper things,” she recalls.

Nur Sadeka lives in a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Her family fled Myanmar in 2017. Displacement changed many parts of her childhood, including her access to reliable information, privacy and essential supplies.

As she entered adolescence, menstruation became one of her biggest challenges. Like many girls in the camp, she relied on old clothes during her periods. The experience left her uncomfortable and afraid of infection. It also disrupted her education. Missing classes during menstruation became part of her routine.
That began to change when Nur Sadeka joined the Girl Shine programme, supported by UNFPA and implemented by Educo. Through life-skills sessions in a safe space, she learned about puberty, menstrual health and hygiene, adolescent protection, education and her rights.

For the first time, she understood that menstruation was not something to fear or hide. It was a normal biological process, and she had the right to manage it safely and with dignity.

In the sessions, Nur Sadeka was able to ask questions openly. She learned how to use and care for menstrual health materials, including reusable sanitary pads. She also received a menstrual health and hygiene kit and practical guidance on how to manage her period safely.

“Now, after getting the kit, I can go to the learning centre without fear,” she says.

Through Girl Shine, Nur Sadeka gained confidence, but also built life skills and learned about the risks of child marriage and gender-based violence. Supported by facilitators and peers, she began to see that staying in education was part of protecting her future.

Today, she attends her Community-Based Learning Facility regularly, even during menstruation. She also encourages other girls in the camp to use reusable sanitary pads, explaining that they are safer, more affordable and better for the environment than disposable alternatives.

“Menstruation is not something to hide,” Nur Sadeka says. “With the right support, girls can live with confidence and dignity.”

Her experience reflects a wider shift among adolescent girls reached through UNFPA-supported programming in Cox’s Bazar. Since 2025, around 13,000 adolescent girls and female caregivers have been reached through the Girl Shine curriculum in 73 safe spaces, including youth centres, Women Friendly Spaces, multipurpose centres and community-based learning facilities.

Statistics from UNFPA implementing partner Educo shows that 96.6 per cent of Girl Shine graduates no longer agree with the traditional belief that the onset of menstruation means a girl is ready for marriage. Adolescent and Youth Centre-based programme data from Mukti Cox’s Bazar also indicates that girls who graduated from these programmes between 2023 and 2025 were 93 per cent less likely to experience child marriage.

These changes matter because menstrual health is closely linked to education, protection and dignity. When girls lack information or materials, they may miss classes, avoid social activities and feel ashamed of their bodies. When they receive accurate information and support, they are better able to stay in learning, make informed decisions and speak up for themselves.

For Nur Sadeka, the difference is visible in her daily routine. The days she once spent hidden inside the shelter are now days she can continue learning.

She still lives with the uncertainty of displacement. But she no longer believes menstruation should hold her back.

Now, when other girls feel embarrassed or unsure, Nur Sadeka shares what she has learned.
“I tell them not to be afraid,” she says.

She carries confidence, knowledge and the belief that her education should not stop because she is a girl.