- Nearly one in five respondents said that they had had to go without period products because of finances, while one in 10 said they had been forced to prioritise other essential household items, such as food, over buying sanitary wear.
- 22% of respondents reported they were not able to change their products as often as they would like to, with 11% of those describing a significant health impact because of this, such as a urinary tract infection or thrush.
- Women are estimated to spend an average of £13 a month on period products and several thousands of pounds over a lifetime.
Tackling period poverty
1. Donate to relevant organisations
Speaking to HuffPost UK Amika George, a teenage activist campaigning for free menstrual products for schoolgirls from low-income families, suggested donating money to a variety of organisations including: Bloody Good Period, which gives menstrual supplies to asylum seekers, refugees and those who can’t afford them; the Red Box Project, which provides free sanitary items for young women in schools and The Homeless Period, which raises awareness of the plight of homeless women who can’t access period products.
You can also donate money to your local foodbank. Abby Jitendra, senior policy officer for the Trussell Trust, told HuffPost UK that people often don’t realise they can offer monetary donations to foodbanks. To donate, click here.
2. Buy extra pads and tampons
If you’re out at a supermarket, or doing an online shop, why not buy some extra pads and donate them to a foodbank, Amika said. To find your nearest foodbank, click here. Additionally some
supermarkets have boxes near the checkouts for donated goods, which could save you a trip.
3. Use social media
Alesha Dixon is encouraging people to share a throwback picture on social media including the hashtag #EndPeriodPoverty and tagging @Always. The brand will then donate a pad to a school girl in need.
“We were all school children once, and even if you haven’t experienced period poverty yourself, you can put yourself into the shoes of young school girls who are affected,” she wrote in a blog post on HuffPost UK. “These pads will go to the schools in most need so when girls do speak up and ask for help, teachers can provide.”
5. Educate the next generation
A spokesperson for the Women’s Equality Party said schools should teach all young people – including boys – the biological facts about periods before they reach puberty, which “would help to remove the stigma around periods”.
Parents can play a part too by kickstarting the learning process at home. It’s a crucial conversation to have as it can help prevent girls from thinking it’s a “taboo” topic and feeling ashamed, and it can help boys to be more understanding. A 2017 survey by Bodyform revealed 52% of girls would rather be bullied at school than discuss periods with their parents - so we’ve still got some way to go. (Want to know more? Read these tips for talking to kids about periods.)
6. Sign petitions
One petition launched by Amika George calls on free menstrual products for all children entitled to free school meals. It has gained over 150,000 signatures. Another, with 78,000 signatures, calls on Procter & Gamble, the company behind Always and Tampax products, to donate a proportion of their products to homeless shelters.
Thoughts
- graphical outputs to highlight the issue-gain attention
- could be a social media campaign
- video and poster
- thinking about yourself in a simialr position
- it is relivant and current
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