Buying Tampons is a Privilege
Have you ever been in a situation when you get your period and you don’t have any access to tampons? Not because you’re working or travelling, but because you have insufficient funds?
In Kenya, one million girls miss school each month because they can’t afford sanitary pads. Mary Asigi, a 17-year-old pupil, says this is completely normal. However, long-term consequences can be quite devastating. Those who miss school need to do more individual work which might result in losing motivation and heightening the risk of eventually dropping out of education.
The girls have tried improvising — sharing used pads with fellow classmates. The teachers are subsequently trying to warn them of the risks as the rate of people having HIV is relatively high on the outskirts of Nairobi (where Mary Asigi lives).
Besides that, these girls are being bullied by boys.
A situation that is so normal has become so sad. After all, menstruation is a basic feminine function providing evidence that the girl is healthy. Having a body that operates well is often a privilege that many people take for granted. The menstrual cycle moreover prepares one for pregnancy. It acts as a major factor contributing to the expansion of the human race and yet girls all over the world are experiencing a great number of problems because of it.
This is not OK.
Various companies are gaining profit from women… just being women. They will always have periods. They will always need pads. They will always need to invest in it.
However, it doesn’t mean people aren’t trying to change this predicament.
Scotland has recently become the first country in the world to make period products free.
The bill was first proposed in 2019 by Monica Lennon in a bid to tackle period poverty. With average periods lasting about five days, it can cost up to £8 a month for tampons and pads, and some women struggle to afford the cost. Apparently, about 10% of girls in the UK have been unable to afford period products; 15% have struggled to afford them; and 19% have changed to a less suitable product due to cost, according to research.
Since 2018, various period products have been available in schools, colleges and universities in Scotland. With the new bill passed, it is now believed the products will be available at designated public places such as community centres, youth clubs and pharmacies. The full details of the scheme have not yet been fully revealed but it definitely feels like a huge step forwards.
A number of countries have now lowered or scrapped taxes on period products — including a dozen states in the US and countries including Kenya, Canada, Australia, India, Colombia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Nigeria, Uganda, Lebanon and Trinidad and Tobago.
While the situation is still troublesome, the stigma is being broken slowly.
