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  • Using human-centered design to codesign dedicated menstrual health spaces with people who menstruate in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda: Learnings for further adaptation and scale in humanitarian setting

Using human-centered design to codesign dedicated menstrual health spaces with people who menstruate in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda: Learnings for further adaptation and scale in humanitarian setting

Publication Year: 2023
Contributing Organisation: Youth Development Labs
Authors: Aly Beeman, Joseph Kwesiga, and Nicole Ippoliti
Learning Themes: Global Health

Many people who menstruate in low- and middle-income countries struggle to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, and with dignity. This is exacerbated in humanitarian settings with limited access to menstrual products and safe, private spaces for changing, washing, and disposing of menstrual products. To address
these challenges, Youth Development Labs (YLabs) used a human-centered design approach to co-design the
Cocoon Mini, a safe, physical structure for managing menstruation in the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda.
The study comprised five phases, including background research, design research, rough prototyping, live
prototyping, and a pilot study. A total of 340 people, including people who menstruate, male community members, and community stakeholders, participated in interviews, focus groups, and co-design sessions. Solution prototypes were created, evaluated, and iterated upon in each successive project phase. The final intervention design, the Cocoon Mini, was evaluated qualitatively for feasibility and acceptability during a three-month pilot using structured interviews with 109 people who menstruate utilizing Cocoon Mini structures, 64 other community members, and 20 Cocoon Mini supervisors.

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