Period Poverty and What Can Be Done To Help
This piece was co-authored by 2020–2021 fellows Natasha Okpara and Mwelwa Chasaya.
On any given day in any given month, at least 800 million women are having their period. On average, a woman will spend a cumulative 10 years of her life menstruating*, starting at an average age of 13 until around 53. Experts estimate that the cumulative lifetime cost for period-related products per woman is nearly $14,680. For low-income families who find it hard to afford even basic necessities, being able to afford menstrual products each month can be impossible. In addition to the cost of these necessities, period pain can lead to low school attendance or loss of income through missed days at work.
Period poverty** affects women, girls, and people who menstruate all over the world. Access to sanitary products, safe and hygienic spaces in which to use them, and the right to manage menstruation without shame or stigma, is essential for anyone who menstruates. But for many, this is not a reality. This is not just a potential health risk — period poverty has negative impacts on education, gender equality, and productivity and, if not addressed, perpetuates existing inequalities.
In rural Zambia, poverty affects 78 percent of the population. This makes it difficult for families to afford sanitary pads for the girl child, which cost about $1 per packet of 10 pads. Many girls in impoverished areas have never used pads before and miss school whenever they menstruate for fear of staining their clothes or due to pain associated with the menses. In 2016, the Zambian government promised to provide free sanitary towels in schools but to date, they have not followed through on this commitment. Private Zambian organizations such as the Kozo Girls Project and Whisper A Dream Foundation teach adolescents and young women how to make reusable sanitary towels using household materials, such as a chitenge or any absorbable cloth available in the household. They also conduct fundraising activities to raise money to buy and distribute period products to underprivileged girls in various communities throughout the country.
There are a number of things that the general public can do to help end period poverty and help thousands of women who are struggling. Some of these initiatives include;
Advocacy Through Campaigns
Using our voice and creativity to advocate for the elimination of period poverty is a great initiative. This can be done by promoting and taking part in Menstrual Hygiene Day. Additionally, we can purchase sanitary products from a brand or store that promotes putting an end to period poverty. Brands such as Always and Shoprite are currently taking initiative in ending period poverty in Zambia. Furthermore, we actively advocate by joining campaigns that raise awareness on period poverty and stigma such as the African Education Program “End Period Poverty Kafue Campaign” and Whisper a Dream Foundation in Zambia.
Education
Educating girls on period hygiene through creative school-based events. Private e-services such as the U-Report platform, powered by UNICEF, acts as a virtual counseling platform for young ones in the community. Education can also involve equipping girls with the skills and resources to make absorbent and reusable pads that are more sustainable for girls in impoverished areas. Additionally, many girls complain of friction burns on their inner thighs during their long journey to school due to chafing of wet non-absorbent material used to make menstrual cloth. Hence, the provision of self-care information during their menstrual period can be another form of educating girls.
Ending Stigma and Cultural Barriers
Education overlaps in this area of initiatives, as the provision of information could aid the reduction or elimination of stigma and cultural barriers. Girls’ school attendance and participation in physical activities have been compromised when menstruating due to fear of teasing (especially by boys) and embarrassment from menstrual leakage. Boys are able to tell when girls are menstruating by the scent and by their behavior, for instance, moving less and isolating themselves from their peers. Ending period stigma in co-education schools and the community at large can be achieved by speaking about it openly through public discussion forums that address cultural taboos and myths, discrimination, lack of education and silence regarding period poverty. These forums can include intra and inter-school debates, poems, TV programs, magazines, and youth-friendly social activities.
Donating
Donating to various campaigns and clubs in monetary form, or simply providing necessary resources, is another productive way to help end period poverty. Donating our time in the form of mentorship is another way that we can help to end period poverty. Some charitable organizations that are campaigning to end period poverty include the Girls Brigade, Copper Rose Zambia, Whisper a Dream Foundation, and Action-Aid.
Influencing Policy Change
Providing evidence-based research that can assist in informing key decisions that can help end period poverty is an excellent initiative. Influencing government policy change that includes free sanitary products for girls in Schools, removal of taxes (import and value-added) on sanitary items, and prioritizing the distribution of free sanitary products as opposed to the current free distribution of condoms in schools in Zambia when sex is a choice while menstruation is not. Furthermore, policy changes to help numerous struggling women can include ensuring the monthly Mother’s Day policy is adhered to by employers.
Overall, there is a need to incorporate lessons about menstrual health and hygiene in school curriculums to help girls understand what is going on with their bodies, how best to keep themselves clean, the period products they can use, and skills on how to make homemade period products. Information about menstrual hygiene doesn’t only safeguard girls’ health but also helps them reach their full potential. Governments can further come in to provide free period products to girls in school, starting with the most underprivileged community schools as opposed to giving free condoms in schools. By making sanitary products freely available at school, we are one step closer to educational equality and up-scaling schools to being a more inclusive environment where pupils focus on their studies.
Even with policies in place, governments alone cannot fight period poverty, hence the need for concerted efforts from various stakeholders who include individuals, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.
*Menstruation/Period/Monthlies
The process of a woman discharging blood and other materials from the lining of the uterus at intervals of about one lunar month from puberty until menopause, except during pregnancy. On average, women menstruate 3–5 days in a monthly cycle.
**Period Poverty
For some women and girls, period poverty is a lack of access to sanitary facilities such as toilets depending on where they live, work, or study. For others, period poverty is the lack of money for tampons, pads, underwear, menstrual cups, or medication for cramps.
Natasha works as a Health Researcher at Population Council in Zambia and Mwelwa works as a Public Health Analyst at Zambia National Public Health Institute.
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