Let’s Talk Period Poverty
Talking about periods posits the rare intersection of a subject that is as commonly experienced as it is shamed upon. The 20-something-year-old in me would like to say that she’s confident in her body and has gotten menstrual health management down to a science when in reality I still struggle to deal with my period every month. Red days would be spent indoors battling cramps and headaches, while on days that I did go out, there were times when I did not have access to extra pads or clean washrooms. These occurrences may seem like minor inconveniences but when added up over a larger period they can become a major hindrance to one’s physical and mental health, not to mention the economy and environment. This hindrance goes by the name of period poverty (The World Bank, 2022).
UNICEF says that of the 1.8 billion people around the world who menstruate, millions of them struggle to manage their periods properly every month (2023). Period poverty is defined by the lack of proper access to menstrual hygiene products (like pads or tampons), bathroom facilities, proper waste management, and menstrual health education (Michel, et al., 2022). In fact, a 2017 survey found that only 6% of schools in Bangladesh provided education on health and hygiene, while only 36% of girls knew what to expect about their period before experiencing it for the first time. All these things have detrimental effects on a young girl’s life, including but not limited to being absent from or quitting school, poor performance or difficulty advancing at one’s place of work, and serious health risks like infections, infertility, and psychological stress. A 2017 study conducted in Kenya found that due to menstruation, 95% of menstruating girls would skip school, while 70% of them would slip behind on their grades. (Michel, et al., 2022 ; The World Bank, 2022).
Despite all the repercussions that come with period poverty, it is a topic that is rarely seen in the public eye. Period poverty is when a person is unable to manage their period in a dignified manner due to community stigma (ActionAid, 2023). Even as a woman, I grew up thinking that proactively refraining from talking about my period was the most appropriate course of action, choosing instead to use monikers or cryptic phrases like “that time of the month,” when describing what I was going through. As a schoolgirl, my classmates and I would secretly slip each other pads or meet a wave of embarrassment when our blood would show through our clothes. Who could blame us when the commercials and media we watched reinforced a culture of shame built around having one’s period? One particular example is how menstrual pad ads commonly portrayed our periods by placing blue liquid on their pads to represent blood despite the inaccuracy of the color. Sadly, this stigma is also perpetuated by different cultures. A study in Egypt found that schoolgirls do not bathe themselves when they get their period due to a social taboo prohibiting them from contacting water during this time (Rohatgi, Dash, 2023).
A single example like the one above already shows the intersectionality of period poverty. In addition to the cultural stigma against periods and evident public health concerns, period poverty also has a significant impact on the economy. Difficulty managing one’s period could mean that girls face limited employment opportunities or become forced to choose between food and menstrual products in dire financial times (Rohatgi, Dash, 2023). Women who experience period poverty also use unsafe materials like rags, toilet paper, or cardboard in lieu of pads or wear their menstrual products for longer than the recommended amount of time (Rapp, Kilpatrick, 2020). Many of these products are not only pricey but also harmful to the environment. In India, women use around eight non-compostable pads per cycle and generate 1,021 billion in pad waste each month (The World Bank, 2022). Additionally, more than 35% of the global population does not have access to the amount of clean water and sanitary facilities needed to manage their periods properly (Rohatgi, Dash, 2023).
The overarching complications surrounding period poverty may make the task of eradicating it seem daunting, but there are doable actions young people can take to resolve this issue. Engaging in open communication about periods and learning more about concepts in menstrual and reproductive health is pivotal in increasing awareness of period poverty and taking care of one’s menstrual health with dignity. As an organization dedicated to helping young people, Global Changemakers wants to aid them in the fight against period poverty by equipping youth with the skills, knowledge, resources, and connections necessary to become the change they want to see in the world. Recognizing that access to affordable, scientific, and inclusive health education is essential to resolving period poverty, Global Changemakers offers a free (and mobile-friendly!) online course on Menstruation, Sexual, and Reproductive health filled with factual information delivered in an engaging and informative way. In this course, you will learn about the menstrual cycle, PMS, fundamental reproductive anatomy, pregnancy, contraception and fertility, consent, and gender identity. You can access the course here.
References:
Rohatgi, A., & Dash, S. (2023). Period poverty and mental health of menstruators during COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons and implications for the future. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 4. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2023.1128169/full
Menstrual health and hygiene. (2022, May 12). The World Bank. Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/brief/menstrual-health-and-hygiene
Rapp, A., & Kilpatrick, S. (2020, February 4). Changing the cycle: Period poverty as a public health crisis. School of Public Health of the University of Michigan. https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/period-poverty.html
Michel, J., Mettler, A., Schonenberger, S., & D. Gunz. (2022). Period poverty: Why it should be everybody’s business. Journal of Global Health Reports: Viewpoint, 6. https://www.joghr.org/article/32436-period-poverty-why-it-should-be-everybody-s-business
Period poverty. (2023, January 27). ActionAid UK. Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://www.actionaid.org.uk/our-work/womens-rights/period-poverty
Menstrual hygiene. (n.d.) UNICEF. Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://www.unicef.org/wash/menstrual-hygiene
