• In some parts of the world, menstruating women are seen as dirty, untouchable, or disgraceful.
• In an academic year of nine months, a girl loses 39 learning days, equivalent to six weeks of learning time.
Women and girls have been made to believe if they look at people during their period they will make them sick, if they cook or touch food it will rot and if they swim, sharks will attack them.
Another common myth is if they wear a tampon, they will lose their virginity.
In an infographic calling for an end to period stigma, the UN Women added that in some parts of the world, menstruating women are seen as dirty, untouchable or disgraceful.
"Because of social and cultural norms, they are misinformed and made to believe such myths," said the UN Women, a global champion for gender equality.
Out of fear of discrimination, because the monthly cycles are considered taboo, women and girls have come up with code names to refer to their periods such as Aunt Flo, Code Red, bloody Mary, lady business, girl flu, or the curse.
Women and girls also continue to face mistreatment during their periods and are denied basic human rights and dignity.
"Some are excluded from physical spaces, forced into solitary confinement, forbidden or required to bathe and are banned from cooking or touching food," the UN Women said.
A lack of financial support or access to safe sanitary products prompts some girls to use newspapers, toilet paper, plastic bags, socks, clothes, or rags.
Data from the Ministry of Education indicate that a girl that is absent from school for four days in 28 days loses 13 learning days, equivalent to two weeks of learning in every school term.
In an academic year of nine months, a girl loses 39 learning days, equivalent to six weeks of learning time.
A girl in primary school between grades 6 and 8 loses 18 learning weeks out of 108 weeks.
Within the four years of high school, a girl can lose 156 learning days, equivalent to almost 24 weeks out of 144 weeks of learning.
The average time women menstruate during a single cycle is between three and five days and they spend an average of six years menstruating in their lifetime.
The women's organisation adds that period shaming, poverty and discrimination affect women's and girls' physical and mental wellbeing.
"Whether it is a lack of money to buy pads, tampons or other products, access to toilets or discriminatory cultural norms and practices, women and girls, especially the world's poorest, are deeply impacted by their period," it said.
Data show that worldwide, 1.25 billion women and girls have no access to safe, private toilet facilities, whereas the Wash joint monitoring programme report by the WHO and Unicef found that only 59 per cent of Kenyans have access to basic water services and only 29 per cent to sanitary services.
"Fear of stigmatisation along with limited access to menstrual hygiene supplies, water and disposal facilities and private clean bathrooms negatively impact girls' school attendance and performance," the UN Women said.
Additionally, policies that perpetuate stigma, poor workplace conditions and unsupportive labour laws such as inflexible working hours, or menstruation leave can impact women's economic opportunities.
The organisation called for affordable and tax-free sustainable sanitary products, wider access to menstrual hygiene management and sanitation facilities, and better workplace policies, inclusive of menstruating and menopausal women.
Also recommended is "increased access to information and education to help break the silence, stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation".
(Edited by F'Orieny)