The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of expert groups that will contribute to the development of a new WHO guideline on menstrual health.
This “call for experts” provides information about the WHO guidelines to be developed; the role of expert groups at WHO; the profiles of experts currently being sought; and the application and selection processes.
Background
Menstrual health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in relation to the menstrual cycle.
More than two billion people menstruate globally each month, yet menstrual health remains insufficiently integrated into education systems, health services, and public policy. The way in which women, girls, and gender-diverse people experience menstruation varies widely, from a positive or neutral uncomplicated physiologic process to a painful, shame-inducing, or stigmatized condition that reduces quality of life and compromises overall health and well-being. Recognizing the importance and far-reaching impacts of menstrual health, and in line with WHO’s mandate to generate evidence-based global norms and standards for its Member States, WHO is planning to develop the first global guideline on menstrual health.
The guideline will emphasize participation of affected populations and follow the rigorous processes outlined in the WHO handbook for guideline development, 2nd ed., including systematic evidence review, transparent management of conflicts of interest and structured deliberation by independent expert groups.
Role of the guideline expert groups
As part of the WHO guideline development process described in the 2014 WHO handbook for guideline development, 2nd ed., the guideline expert groups will support WHO in:
- determining the scope of the guideline and prioritizing questions to guide the retrieval, summary and assessment of the evidence informing the recommendations;
- prioritizing important outcomes for decision-making and developing recommendations;
- examining and interpreting the evidence, with explicit consideration of the overall balance of risks and benefits as well as other factors;
- determining the strength of recommendations, considering benefits, harms, feasibility, acceptability, equity, human rights, and resources; and
- identifying research gaps.
There will be multiple expert groups, including the expert group for developing the scope, the Guideline Development Group (GDG) and the External Review Group (ERG). One or more of these groups may meet once or twice in the next 12 months (either virtually or in person at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland), for 2–3 days each time. Interim teleconferences may be required. The working language of the expert groups will be English.
Who can help with this important work?
The expert groups will be multidisciplinary, represent all WHO regions, have gender-balance and include members with a range of relevant technical knowledge, skills, and experience. Approximately 20–25 people are likely to be selected for each group.
To develop global normative guidelines on menstrual health, WHO welcomes expressions of interest from the following individuals.
End-users who will adopt, adapt and implement the guidelines, including:
- decision-makers and public health policymakers in ministries of health, education and/or sanitation at national, regional and local levels
- health and care workers, including providers in primary care settings
- health, education, or sanitation programme managers
- health regulators
- civil society representatives
- non-governmental organizations
- professional societies.
- researchers
- health economists
With expertise in the following areas:
- menstrual health disorders including menstrual pain and heavy menstrual bleeding
- menstrual health management
- menstrual health materials and products
- water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in relation to menstrual health services and facilities
- menstrual health knowledge and education
- menstrual justice
- ethics, equity, human rights and gender in public health
- sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal health and family planning
Submitting your application
To register your interest in being considered for the expert groups, please submit your application by 5th May 2026 to: MH_EN@who.int. Please put ‘WHO Menstrual Health Guideline – Expert Groups’ in the title of the email.
You will need to send the following three documents:
- Your curriculum vitae (CV).
- A completed Declaration of Interest (DOI) form for WHO Experts. The DOI form needs to be printed, signed, and scanned – electronic signatures are not accepted.
- A Confidentiality Undertaking form (COI). The COI form also needs to be printed, signed, and scanned – electronic signatures are not accepted.
Your application will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only shortlisted individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes
Experts should have no significant conflict of interest that would impair their neutrality, independence, or objectivity in the guideline development process. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO DOI for WHO Experts. In addition, the shortlisting by WHO of any individual for selection as a member of an expert group is inter alia dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any conflicts that are identified can be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of such individual’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
WHO will publish the names and a short biography of the shortlisted individuals on the WHO website.
Appointment as a member of a GDG will furthermore be subject to an expert signing a Memorandum of Agreement (Terms and Conditions for Temporary Advisers) with WHO, addressing issues such as confidentiality, ownership, and other WHO requirements.
WHO will rely on the information you provide on your CV to assess whether you have the experience and expertise required at the appropriate level. Please ensure that you provide written evidence to support how you meet the relevant criteria, which are identified in the “Who can help with this important work” section.
If you are shortlisted, then at any point during the application process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between you and the WHO Secretariat to ask questions relating to your experience and expertise and/or to explore whether you meet the specified qualities required for membership in the expert groups.
The selection of members of the expert groups will be based on the following criteria: technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of experts will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low- and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
All experts will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions, or organizations. Should there be any in-person meetings, the travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules, and procedures. No honoraria will be provided to any experts for their services or otherwise.
If you have any questions about this “call for experts”, please write to MH_EN@who.int.