JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Rapid urbanization in India is straining the government's capacity to provide basic amenities such as housing, sanitation, electricity, and water. One group of people who are deeply affected are menstruators where menstrual experiences are shaped by an interplay of deep-rooted cultural norms and emerging socio-political discourse, ranging from stigma to bodily autonomy. In urban slums, referred to as bastis in Telugu and Hindi, this reality is worsened by spatial congestion and limited water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources. This study is situated in the populous slum colonies of Film Nagar, Hyderabad, where residents navigate precarious living conditions and a scarcity of basic amenities. Despite the surrounding affluence of the media and technology sectors, approximately 80% of the local population resides in these 20 underserved settlements 1.

Objective:

In this context, we argue that menstrual experiences are profoundly shaped by an interplay of biological, socio-cultural, political, economic, and environmental factors. Accordingly, our research seeks to understand how these intersecting determinants manifest in everyday life to influence the lived reality of menstruators.

Methods:

Guided by biopolitics and poststructuralist feminism, we take a critical-ethnographic approach to analyze contextual factors shaping the menstrual experiences of slum-dwelling menstruators. This study uses a multi-method data generation strategy including rapport building, participant observations, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and digital storytelling. Frame analysis will be used for data analysis and will occur concurrently with data generation.

Results:

This proposal describes the research being conducted as part of the primary author’s doctoral dissertation. The doctoral program is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship (2023–2026), and the data collection component of the study is supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) through the International Doctoral Research Award (2024–2025). The study has received ethics approval from the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board and the institutional ethics committee at the University of Hyderabad, India, in January 2025. As of September 2025, 18 households had been recruited. The final phase of data collection is scheduled for March 2026. Study findings are anticipated to be disseminated and published by September 2027.

Conclusions:

The novelty of this study is predicated on the use of a multi-method critical ethnographic study design. This study’s findings are expected to 1) highlight the interplay of socio-political, familial, and environmental factors affecting menstrual health and bodily autonomy, and 2) guide government bodies, research institutions, and NGOs in developing context-sensitive policies and programs for menstruators.