Date: December 9, 2026
Time:10:15 – 11:30
Room 11
This session brings menstrual health into the core of WASH policy and practice, drawing on locally led evidence from co-organisers working across the Global South and North to demonstrate how safe and affordable water, gender-responsive sanitation, equitable access for vulnerable and marginalised communities, and women’s meaningful leadership in water governance can accelerate progress towards SDG 6. The session will conclude with actionable recommendations on policy, financing, accountability and implementation for the Water Action Agenda.
Despite global commitments, millions of women and girls continue to face barriers to safe water, sanitation, and menstrual health services. These barriers negatively affect health, education, dignity, safety, economic opportunities, and participation in public life. Yet menstrual health remains insufficiently integrated into national WASH policies and global water governance discussions. This side event seeks to address these gaps by placing menstrual health at the centre of conversations on sustainable water management and gender equality.
The discussion will highlight evidence, experiences, and community-driven solutions from different regions of the world, with particular attention to vulnerable and marginalized communities. Speakers will explore how women’s leadership, locally led development approaches, youth engagement, gender-responsive budgeting, and rights-based communication strategies can contribute to more inclusive and effective water governance. The event will also showcase practical experiences from Africa, Latin America, and other regions, demonstrating how investments in water and sanitation can improve menstrual health outcomes and empower women and girls as leaders and agents of change.
Participants will engage in a dialogue on the intersections of water, human rights, public health, education, gender equality, and economic empowerment. Special emphasis will be placed on elevating the voices of women, girls, youth leaders, and community advocates whose lived experiences can inform more responsive and equitable policies and programmes.
Objectives
- Elevate menstrual health as a central pillar of SDG 6 implementation.
- Showcase gender-responsive WASH solutions from community to national levels.
- Strengthen youth leadership in water and sanitation governance.
- Promote rights-based communication strategies to challenge stigma and misinformation.
- Foster collaboration among governments, UN entities, civil society organizations, media actors, and local communities.
Expected Outcomes
The session is expected to generate practical recommendations for integrating menstrual health into national WASH strategies, strengthen collaboration among gender equality advocates, youth networks, and media actors, and raise the visibility of community-driven innovations that advance equitable access to water and sanitation. Outcomes will contribute to ongoing discussions within the Water Action Agenda and support commitments to gender-responsive water governance.
Organizers
This side event is led by Juventud Unida en Acción in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), Love Binti International, and Water For South Sudan, and the Women’s Major Group at UNEP, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise to advance gender-responsive sanitation and inclusive water governance at the 2026 UN Water Conference.
Suggested Speakers and Contributors
Representatives from the organizing organizations, women leaders, youth advocates, journalists, WASH practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders from international organizations will share evidence, experiences, and recommendations on advancing gender-responsive sanitation and women’s leadership in water governance.
Relevant Themes
- Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH)
- Gender-Responsive WASH
- Women’s Leadership in Water Governance
- Youth Participation
- Human Rights and Water Access
- Community-Led Development
- Gender-Responsive Budgeting
- SDG 6 and the Water Action Agenda
