Safe Pads For All: B-SCAN Launches A Menstrual Pad Innovation Contest for Women with Disabilities

In a bold push for inclusive sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), B-SCAN, in partnership with WaterAid Bangladesh and Kimberly Clark, has launched a groundbreaking competition—the Safe and Accessible Sanitary Product Innovation Competition for Women with Disabilities.

Targeting one of the most underserved and often overlooked groups, the contest is calling on youth innovators, engineers, designers, and startups to design affordable, comfortable, and accessible sanitary napkin solutions for women with severe disabilities, including wheelchair users, women with visual impairments, and those living with cerebral palsy.

Despite major strides in menstrual health awareness, accessibility still remains a major barrier for many women with disabilities in Bangladesh. According to UNFPA, 1 in 4 women globally face difficulties in managing their menstruation due to stigma, lack of products, or physical barriers—challenges that are amplified for those with disabilities.

The competition is designed to tackle these inequalities head-on by encouraging mobility-friendly, dexterity-sensitive, and eco-friendly innovations in menstrual hygiene products.

🎯 Why It Matters

In a country where menstrual hygiene is still wrapped in taboos, this initiative brings menstrual health into the broader framework of sexual and reproductive health and rights. It calls for a shift in product design that listens to the needs of all women—not just the able-bodied majority.

The competition’s structure includes three rounds:

  • Registration & Idea Screening (10–23 April 2025)

  • Pitching Sessions (24 April–4 May 2025)

  • Final Prototyping and Jury Review (5–28 May 2025)

With a total prize of BDT 525,000, the winning three teams will receive funds and expert mentorship to develop their prototypes further, with final awards handed out during Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025.

📝 Who Can Apply?

Each team must have 4 members, including at least one woman. Teams with women with disabilities will receive preference.

By pushing the conversation forward, this contest aims to normalise inclusive design within menstrual health and SRHR discourse—where every woman, regardless of her ability, can manage her period safely, confidently, and with dignity.

For more details and to apply, please visit – https://en.b-scan.org/contest/ 


Source: Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN)
Picture Credit: Facebook/B-SCAN

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