Menstruation: sharing experiences from the global north and south

British Academy Conferences bring together scholars and specialists from around the world to consider and evaluate new research in the humanities and social sciences.

The lived experience of menstruation is increasingly at the forefront of news and research given the rise in period poverty in the UK and debates around stigma and exclusion at an international level.  The conference focuses on the representation of menstruation and menstrual stigma across a range of disciplines, geographic areas, and menstruators’ experiences. The event brings together a range of experts from the global south and north, including academics, activists and artists utilising a range of creative visual methods – photography, film, VR and social media – to explore the many ways that menstruation is represented within the media, policy documents and research. It provides an ideal platform to share innovative research.

The panels will discuss the complexity of menstrual issues in a variety of locations to draw connections between geographical locations and disciplines. It presents research to tackle the menstrual stigmas and taboos which limit access to education, employment and human rights, the problem of "period poverty", of not being able to afford menstrual products, and research and initiatives to challenge this including representation of menstruation in the media, medical profession and arts. 

Conference convenors:
Professor Kay Standing, Liverpool John Moores University
Dr Sara Parker, Liverpool John Moores University 
Dr Stefanie Lotter, SOAS University of London

Speakers and chairs across the three-day conference include:
Milena Bacalja Perianes, Menstrual Health Hub
Sapana Basnet Bista, Liverpool John Moores University/Sightsavers
Dr Sara E. Baumann, University of Pittsburgh
Becca Bell, Hey Girls
Professor Chris Bobel, University of Massachusetts Boston
Natalie Denny, The Period Project Merseyside
Dr Whitney Fry, Iris Group, for USAID-funded WASHPaLS
Dr Supriya Garikipati, University of Liverpool
Janie Hampton, Menstrual Cup Coalition
Dr Bee Hughes, Liverpool John Moores University
Sarita Lamichhane, Prayatna Nepal
Dr Puleng R Letsie, UNAIDS
Pema Lhaki, Nepal Fertility Care Centre
Dr Kirsten MacLeod, Edinburgh Napier University
Thérèse Mahon, WaterAid
Sophie Maliphant, The Country That Shook / Kumari’s Adventures with her Moon Cycle
Dr Camilla Mørk Røstvik, University of Aberdeen/ Menstruation Research Network UK (Wellcome Trust)
Alfred Muli, Iris Group, for USAID-funded WASHPaLS
Lucy Nkhoma, Malawi Girl Guides/ The Menstrual Cup Coalition
Alethea Osborne, Mannion Daniels
Radha Paudel, Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation
Professor Penelope Phillips-Howard, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Rubina Raut, WUKA
BK Shrestha, Global Action Nepal
Professor Madhusudan Subedi, Tribhuvan University of Nepal
Rupinder Virdee, Binti International
Rachel Weiss, Menopause Cafe
Jane Wilbur, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Dr Sarah Zipp, University of Stirling

Part of the British Academy Sustainable Development Programme 2018, supported by BEIS through the Global Challenges Research Fund

This event will have live subtitles provided by StageTEXT, delivered by MyClearText

Free, booking required

This conference will take place at the British Academy, London and will also be streamed online. A recording of this event will be added to our YouTube channel after the event has taken place. All events are staged in line with the government’s COVID-19 guidelines and our venue’s COVID-19 guidelines. Measures are subject to change in accordance with government guidance; attendees will be notified of any changes prior to their visit. Booking a place at a British Academy event constitutes your acceptance of our terms and conditions. If you have any questions about this event please email [email protected].

Image: by Sara Parker

The first day of this three-day conference will take place on Monday 4 October.

The second day of this three-day conference will take place on Tuesday 5 October.

The final day of this three-day conference will take place on Wednesday 6 October.