Today is a good day. It’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day, a day when the world unites to break the silence surrounding periods, support those suffering from period poverty, and raise awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene.
It’s just as well. According to a study by Plan International UK of 1,000 UK girls aged 14 – 21, 57 per cent) have experienced negative comments of some kind connected with their period, with two thirds of girls (66 per cent) report missing a part day or full day of school because of their period.
On top of the prolific shaming, many girls and women are struggling to afford period products. In fact, 1 in 10 young women (aged 14-21) have been unable to afford period products. In London alone, 80,000 young women and girls are affected by period poverty.
It’s statistics like these which led activist Amika George to start the #freeperiods movement back in 2017. The movement called for an end to period poverty within schools and has since made waves in UK parliament. Earlier this year, the Government announced that it will end period
poverty in English secondary schools with a scheme, starting in September, that will provide period products to all students who need them.
But the issue of period poverty, period shame and menstrual hygiene goes way beyond the UK. According to the World Health Organisation, substantial numbers of girls in many countries have knowledge gaps and misconceptions about menstruation, causing fear and anxiety. They also note that girls in poor urban and rural communities of low and middle-income countries are less likely to obtain and use sanitary pads, instead relying on scraps of old cloth, cotton and paper. Alongside lack of privacy, little access to clean water and no functional toilets, this makes it harder for them to manage their periods.
So, what can you do to help and how do you get involved in World Menstrual Health Day? Firstly, you can raise awareness among your friendship groups and at work, posting on social media using the hashtag #ItsTimeForAction, which relates to this year’s theme of recognising the achievements of the past year while highlighting what still needs to be done.
You can also donate directly to charities which support the cause, including Plan UK, Action Aid, and hundreds more charities listed here.
Another great way to show ongoing support is to choose period products from brands who give back. OHNE is one such brand; they’ve partnered with School Club Zambia, and for every box of tampons you buy, you’re helping to build brand new toilet blocks in rural Zambian schools and provide schoolgirls with menstrual education – including giving them the skills to make their own reusable pads from local resources.
And it doesn’t stop there – read more simple ways to help alleviate period poverty here.
