A pad vending machine in the wrong place is a lump of steel. If a girl has to cross the playground to reach it, or buy a pad where boys can see her, she will not. These are the practical points that decide whether a machine and a bin get used.

What guidance says

School standards and checklists from UNICEF, WHO and others share a few points on menstrual hygiene in toilet blocks.

  • Private, lockable toilets. School standards hosted by SuSanA say toilets should be private, meaning they lock from inside.
  • A lidded bin in every cubicle. Uganda’s national school standards, for example, call for lidded bins inside girls’ latrines.
  • Water and soap in a private space for girls to manage menstrual hygiene, a point in this school sanitation checklist.
  • A changing space. Ghana’s school standards, for example, ask for a girls’ changing room with water, mirrors and hooks.
  • Enough toilets. One set of guidance, attributed to WHO and UNICEF, cites one toilet per 25 girls.

A layout that works

  1. Put the machine inside the girls’ block. A private lobby or the entrance of the block, never an open corridor.
  2. Keep it close to the bin. The pad is bought, used and thrown away within a few metres.
  3. Put a lidded bin in every cubicle. Do not rely on one bin by the door.
  4. Add a handbasin with soap in the same private space.
  5. Give it light. A dark corner feels unsafe and gets avoided.
A lidded sanitary bin beside a toilet
A lidded bin in each cubicle is the baseline. Photo: Lajmmoore, CC BY-SA 4.0

Practical details for the machine

  • A dry wall that can carry the weight, with proper anchors so it cannot be pulled off.
  • A power socket nearby, at a safe height away from water. A battery backup covers short cuts.
  • Space to open the door for refilling, and a clear view of the display.
  • A place to stand that does not block the path to the cubicles.

For an incinerator

A wall-mounted incinerator also needs a wall, a power point and room to vent. Keep it clear of flammable materials, mount it where a girl can reach the door easily, and keep the ash tray reachable for the person who empties it. Read how a pad incinerator works first, and what to ask before buying one.

For offices and public toilets

The same rules apply. In an office, put the machine where staff pass without a crowd. In a public toilet, put it inside the women’s section, not in a shared entrance.

Questions people ask

Should the vending machine be inside the toilet block?

Yes where possible, in a private lobby or inside the girls’ block, so a girl can buy a pad and change without walking across the school.

How many toilets per girl?

One set of WHO and UNICEF-based guidance cited in school standards is one toilet per 25 girls. National standards differ, so check your own country’s rules.

Does the machine need a power socket?

Yes. A mains-powered machine needs a safe, dry socket nearby. A battery backup keeps it running through short cuts.