Social and pSychological impact of limited acceSS to Sanitation:

this partnership supports four studies which focus on: ■ Specific WaSh needs of women and the deleterious impact of coping strategies in Vadu, maharashtra ■ hygiene in maternity wards in gujarat and dhaka ■ Social and psychological impact of limited access to sanitation, the link between menstrual hygiene practices and reproductive tract infections, and between WaSh practices and pregnancy outcomes in Bhubhaneshwar and Rourkela, odisha ■ links between the psycho-social stress women face of where to relieve themselves and wider structural inequalities in pune, maharashtra and Jaipur, Rajasthan. all four studies converge on the lack of safe and acceptable choices for women and girls. links between unsafe sanitation and women and girls’ poor health in terms of stress and infections are raised and major evidence gaps are highlighted. the higher incidence of reproductive tract infections linked to poor menstrual hygiene management under socioeconomically deprived groups is striking. also remarkable is the lack of WaSh facilities accessible by pregnant women.