This year, on May 28, World Menstrual Hygiene Day celebrated a decade of collective action by women and girls worldwide to normalize conversations around periods and to take action to end period poverty.

According to statistics provided by the National Women’s Law Center, nearly two-thirds of low-income women cannot afford menstrual products, which can lead to missed school or work and adverse health impacts, but providing free menstrual products in schools has proven to improve attendance and academic performance.

In April, a diverse group of national nonprofits, trade associations and advocacy organizations formed the National Coalition to End Period Poverty. The nonpartisan coalition is dedicated to dismantling barriers that prevent access to affordable menstrual care products, promoting menstrual equity for all, and ending period poverty.

“No individual should have to miss school, work, or face health risks simply because they can’t access basic menstrual products,” says Michela Bedard, executive director of PERIOD., a founding member organization of the coalition. “This coalition will help raise awareness, educate the public and policy makers, and drive legislative change to achieve menstrual equity across the United States.”

The coalition’s goals include reducing barriers and increasing access to affordable menstrual products, encouraging period-friendly bathrooms, raising public awareness about menstrual health and advocating for national policies like providing free products in schools, prisons, shelters and public.

Already the movement to end period poverty has made great strides. In 2020, Scotland became the first country to provide period products free of charge, including reusable options. Kenya began removing taxes on menstrual products as well as on the raw materials for their production in 2004, and by 2017 started distributing free sanitary pads in public schools. South Africa has delivered free disposable sanitary pads to poor women and girls since 2019, and Botswana has made free sanitary pads available in public and private schools.

Other countries like Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago and Uganda and parts of the U.S. have lowered or scrapped taxes on menstrual products and many areas require the free distribution of femcare products in public places like schools, public buildings and prisons. These efforts are getting more products into the hands of people who need them. Let’s keep up the good work.

As always, we appreciate your efforts.

Karen McIntyre
Editor
[email protected]