Welcome to your go-to resource for the latest developments and insights from ISO/TC 338. Here, we provide regular updates on the progress and milestones of our work, ensuring you stay informed and engaged with our endeavors in standardizing menstrual health products.
A new Advocacy Toolkit for menstrual product standards has been launched to support engagement in the development and implementation of standards at national and international levels. The toolkit was developed by the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) in partnership with Menstrual Health Action for Impact (MHAi).
Engagement in the work of ISO/TC 338 on Menstrual Products continues to grow as the committee advances the development of global standards for safe and reliable menstrual products.
Welcome to register for this open seminar, April 24th, that brings together key stakeholders to examine how policy, taxation, standards, and market structures shape menstrual product accessibility and affordability. Come and learn how standards can make menstrual health management safer globally. Join us in person; If you're elsewhere, join us virtually!
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is taking important steps toward improving how menstrual products are classified in the Harmonized System (HS), a development that could strengthen global trade, market transparency, and access to safe menstrual products.
The upcoming African Menstrual Product Standard & Market Development Forum will bring together regional and global actors to discuss product safety, innovation, and the role of international standards in improving menstrual health. UNFPA Eastern and Southern Africa, SHF, SIS, the ACMH, and DfG are hosting the forum virtually and live in Johannesburg in May.
When ISO highlight International Women’s Day and World Consumer Rights Day ISO/TC 338 Menstrual Products was featured to emphasize the importance of women’s full participation in standards development and economic decision-making. When women are represented, consumer protection systems become more focused, relevant, and credible — and when protection improves, markets work better for everyone.
Last week, representatives from SIS – Joakim Falk and Hanna Dumky – visited the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) to strengthen our ongoing twinning collaboration focused on standards for menstrual products.
The call for harmonized menstrual product standards took center stage at a recent WTO (World Trade Organization) session, where the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) highlighted how global standardization can strengthen health, trade and traceability across markets.
“Currently, we test the products on ourselves by using them personally. If I don’t experience any irritation or rashes, I then share the product with a few others— friends and colleagues—for further informal testing. If no one has a negative reaction, we consider the product safe enough to distribute to children. However, this is far from ideal.”
Menstrual health is not just a women’s issue—it’s a societal one. In Namibia, cultural taboos and lack of education often leave boys and men uninformed, perpetuating stigma and inequality. Hermine Bertoli advocates for a family-centered approach where boys are included in menstrual education, believing this is essential to break taboos, foster understanding, and create lasting change.
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This question guided a conference co-hosted by SIS, Days for Girls, and other partners, emphasizing the need for safe, effective product requirements and Nepal’s role in shaping ISO/TC 338.
A new ISO standard for menstrual products is underway, aiming to harmonize safety, performance, and general requirements across countries. The working group, which started in 2022, has grown significantly and is now tackling the challenge of aligning diverse national regulations and perspectives to create a globally relevant standard.
As part of the development of a new ISO vocabulary standard for menstrual products, experts are working to unify terminology across diverse cultural, regulatory, and industry contexts. Convenor Tanya Mahajan shares insights into the challenges of creating inclusive, de-stigmatizing language—while balancing technical accuracy and global adoption.
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The ISO/TC 338 Menstrual Products meeting week, May 12th – May 16th, has concluded its plenary meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, making significant progress on the first-ever global standards for menstrual products.
"By participating in this work, Sri Lanka can align its national standards with global benchmarks, such as ISO requirements, ensuring that products meet international hygiene and safety levels. This is particularly important as the market shifts toward sustainable options like reusable pads and menstrual cups, which require clear guidelines to ensure consumer trust and environmental responsibility."
Watch the recording of the webinar Africa Spotlight – Part 1: Menstrual Product Standards, which focused on our work in global standardization for menstrual products.
The work on developing global standards for menstrual products will continue throughout the year. These standards are crucial in many ways. Please listen to what Linda Serwaa at UNFPA has to say about the benefits and positive effects this work is expected to bring.
Today, on October 2, The Sanitation and hygiene Fund (SHF) is announcing a grant of USD 250,000 to the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) to support the participation of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in the development of global quality standards for menstrual products.
During the plenary meeting in June, we met some of the delegates who shared their views on the importance of developing international standards for menstrual products. Some of the voices were from LMIC where an international standard for menstrual products will have the most impact.
Read their stories here.
Assistant Director, Sri Lanka Standard Institution
Technical secretary, Egyptian Organization for Standards and Quality
Technical Product Manager, AFRIpads
On June 24-26 Danish Standards and UNFPA hosted the 4th ISO/TC 338 plenary meeting in Copenhagen.
About 50 experts from all over the world, driving the development of global standards for menstrual products, participated in the meetings.
The theme for World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024 is #PeriodFriendlyWorld, on the occasion of May 28th and the upcoming plenary meeting in June, ISO/TC 338 Chair Gerda Mazi Larsson along with Jenny Acaralp and Joakim Falk from SIS, visited UNFPA for a kick-off meeting in the UN City, Copenhagen.
ISO/TC 338 Menstrual products Plenary meeting and Capacity building activities in Stockholm, April 2023
Plenary meeting in Accra 2026
Held 20-24th April 2026
If you are interested in becoming a committee member, please contact your National Standards Body