International Development Grant
WinS for Girls - Water Sanitation and Hygiene In Schools for Girls
Project Number: CA-3-D000211001
Status: Closed
Country/Region: Unknown
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $7,500,000.00
Start Date: March 24, 2014
End Date: September 30, 2017
Duration: 3.5 years
Project Description
This project aims to enhance educational opportunities for girls by supporting the Water Sanitation and Hygiene In Schools for Girls (WinS for Girls) program. WinS for Girls is a multi-country program and partnership led by UNICEF and the UN Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) that seeks to increase the number of girls completing primary school and entering secondary schools. Menstrual health management is a key factor in ensuring girls stay in school. Working in over 100 schools per participating country with activities at local national and international levels WinS for Girls is addressing the menstrual hygiene management needs and cultural norms that are barriers for adolescent girls to attending and performing well at school. Some project activities include: (i) conducting qualitative field research on menstrual hygiene management knowledge and practices among school girls; (ii) developing a basic menstrual hygiene management package for water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools based on country-specific research and current practices; and (iii) establishment of menstrual hygiene management working groups led by the Ministry of Education in each country.
Expected Results
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (i) reduced social and physical barriers to safe and stigma-free menstrual health management in schools and in education sectors in 12 countries; and (ii) strengthened global advocacy for effective menstrual hygiene management through water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools programming.
Progress & Results Achieved
The WinS for Girls project is being implemented in 14 countries: 10 countries funded by the Government of Canada (Kyrgyzstan Mongolia Afghanistan Zambia Ghana Niger Nigeria Burkina Faso Eritrea and Bolivia). Additional funds have been leveraged to enable programming in 3 more countries (India Pakistan and Indonesia). Nepal is receiving technical support through this project and is implementing WinS for Girls programming with other resources. Results achieved by UNICEF with the support of the Government of Canada include the following: Menstrual Hygiene Management Working Groups have been established under the leadership of the Ministry of Education in 14 countries and these Working Groups have held forums on menstrual hygiene issues (6 forums on average). This demonstrates good progress towards increased leadership of Ministries of Education with a view to reducing barriers to safe and stigma-free menstrual hygiene management in schools and in the education sector more broadly by the end of the project. Good progress has been demonstrated toward achieving the expected result of increased capacity of global WinS for Girls Network members on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) research and programming. A web-based learning program has been developed for local menstrual hygiene management research partners in the 14 countries and over 80 people have participated in this e-course. While the completion of the web-based learning program took longer than expected it was modified in response to the needs of the participants: additional modules were added and the pace of the course was adjusted. This tool will contribute to the expected result on strengthened global advocacy for effective menstrual hygiene management (MHM) through WASH in Schools programming by the end of the project. The 3rd annual Menstrual Hygiene Management Virtual Conference was held in October 2014 with 753 participants and was successful in sharing school-based menstrual hygiene ma
Key Information
Executing Agency:
UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Department-Initiated