Mexico City to Provide Menstrual Cup Kits at Schools

Mexico City will begin distributing menstrual cup kits to girls in primary and secondary schools starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The initiative comes as part of a broader effort to improve menstrual health and reduce school absenteeism. The free kits will be provided to girls in fifth and sixth grades of primary school and all secondary students.

Mayor Clara Brugada Molina says that the initiative responds to economic barriers many families face, citing that nearly half of adolescent girls miss school due to menstrual complications or limited access to adequate products. “We have statistics showing that 48% of girls miss school due to menstrual complications or lack of resources,” she said according to El Financiero.

According to UNICEF, four in 10 female students avoid attending school during their periods, and 20% miss school at least once due to menstruation

The program includes workshops to educate students and their families on menstrual health and the proper use of menstrual cups, aiming to dispel common myths and foster acceptance. Brugada also emphasizes the environmental benefits, noting that disposable sanitary products can take up to 800 years to decompose.

The menstrual cup distribution is part of a comprehensive public health campaign focused on women’s health issues. Alongside this, the city will offer free quarterly hormonal treatments for menopausal women and provide prenatal care and financial support to pregnant women through the “Mujer Sana, Infancia Protegida” (Healthy Woman, Protected Childhood) program.

The campaign also focuses on cancer prevention, with plans to add 100 new mammography units over six years, including 20 mobile units starting in 2025, and to vaccinate over 20,000 girls aged nine to 11 against HPV through 2026. Early detection programs for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease will be expanded through home visits conducted by 1,000 health professionals, writes MBN. 

The program was announced during Mexico City’s “Great Women’s Health Day,” which aligns with the International Day of Action for Women’s Health and Menstrual Hygiene. “We are dedicated to building a city that fosters health. A city where being a woman represents opportunity, freedom, health, and dignity, rather than risk,” says Brugada.

The menstrual cup initiative is expected to be completed by 2026 and represents a step toward reducing economic and environmental barriers for young girls in the city’s schools.