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Bachelor Thesis from the year 2025 in the subject Politics - Region: Africa, grade: 8,5, language: English, abstract: This thesis investigates the extent to which national menstrual health management (MHM) policies in Kenya and South Africa reduce educational inequality for menstruating pupils. Guided by the Capabilities Approach and Sommer's Theory of Change, the study evaluates whether policy frameworks enhance girls' educational opportunities and how implementation quality shapes outcomes. By using a deductive qualitative content analysis of policy documents, academic literature, and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) reports, the research compares the foundational elements, implementation activities, as well as outcomes and impacts of MHM policies in both countries. Findings reveal that Kenya and South Africa have made policy advances with several context-specific examples serving as best practices for MHM implementation. Nevertheless, the analysis reveals that persistent challenges remain. These mainly include infrastructural gaps, uneven implementation, and inadequate monitoring. The study concludes that, if comprehensive MHM interventions are effectively implemented, they show positive outcomes. Still, although national policies are necessary for promoting educational equality and menstrual dignity, their effectiveness is constrained by contextual barriers and insufficient data. The research highlights the need for more comprehensive, context-sensitive approaches, improved monitoring, and intersectional analyses. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the academic and policy discourse by offering a comparative, theory-driven evaluation and by identifying priorities for future research and policy improvement in MHM.
