Raising Awareness on Period Poverty

With 1 in 5 girls missing school due to lack of menstrual products, period poverty is important, yet often ignored public health crisis. “Period Poverty” refers to the widespread phenomenon of being unable to afford products such as pads, tampons, or liners to manage menstrual bleeding. Instead of sanitary products, many people are forced to use items like rags, paper towels, toilet paper, or cardboard. Others ration sanitary products by using them for extended amounts of time. Period poverty encompasses not only this lack of access to products, but also inadequate access to toilets, hand washing containers, and hygienic waste management. Periods are painful and inconvenient, but we, the lucky ones, can buy what we need at a local pharmacy or supermarket. Having your period is a huge issue when you have neither money nor access to feminine hygiene products. I’m sharing this information with you to raise awareness of how menstruation poverty negatively affects the lives of millions of girls and women worldwide, including in The Netherlands and Indonesia.

"Women should have access to menstrual products at all time"