Title: Unmet Menstrual Hygiene needs at the Polish Refugee Centers: A Biographical Narratives of Menstrual Health Experience of African Refugee and Migrant Women in Poland.
Date: Start date: February 2025-December 2025
Author: Omoye Akhagba
Menstrual health is a core of women’s reproductive health and overall well-being which is accompanied by various cultural, behavioral and environmental factors that influence these monthly experiences. Such
factors as war, conflict, climate disasters often leave many women displaced, widowed, traumatized and eventually forced to live outside of their home countries as a result of these unexpected occurrences which
leaves them to poor menstrual hygiene conditions in the position of displacement. Migrant women face difficulties in their journeys to settlement and stability in the host countries which affects their mental stability in the host countries. Migrant women often report menstrual difficulties such as severe pain, and heavy and extended bleeding during their migration journey to the host countries. There is a research gap on migration and health in Poland as most of the migration research focus on the economic and integration aspect of migrants which does not reflect the entirety of the underlying social problems in the migration field. Thus, this research intends to fill this gap and expand on this aspect area. It is important to mention that this research is the second stage of my research activities while working with women
from disadvantaged community in Poland. The first stage of this project was conducted from February -April 2023 where I conducted observations of the living conditions of the refugee women in various shelter homes in Warsaw and its environs. The result from the first part of this research showed a bigger picture of period poverty in the refugee centres. The situation of these refugee women is pathetically engrossed in a more systemic factors that influences their living conditions whilst living in the various shelter homes based on their legal status and countries of origin. Second, to better understand the situation, this research intends to focus on the individual experiences on the aspects of menstrual health and migration trajectories in Poland. Thus, this research intends to focus on the second aspect of data collection which will involve biographical interview of menstrual health and hygiene of Refugee women in various shelter centres in Poland.