Globally, the health of millions of women and girls is at constant risk. This is due both to the conflicts posed by living in menstrual poverty and the absence of public policies that ensure a menstrual economy. In this field, it is necessary to implement dignity, human rights, and equal access. The World Bank (2022) states that around 500 million women and girls struggle to access menstrual products and safe, private, and hygienic spaces to use them. The lack of accessibility and the stigma associated with menstruation have far-reaching negative effects.
Effects of Menstrual Poverty
According to Zárate (2023), for a woman in extreme poverty, managing menstruation costs her 22 times more than it does for someone with high incomes. In this context, menstrual poverty can have serious consequences for physical, emotional, and social health. This includes reproductive tract infections, school or work absenteeism, stigma, and social exclusion. Lack of access to adequate menstrual hygiene products limits the educational and employment opportunities of women and girls. This can perpetuate cycles of poverty over time and across generations. Thus, these economic, social, and cultural limitations become barriers to accessing human rights.
Menstrual Poverty and Its Impact on the World
The United Nations (2023) states that poor menstrual health and hygiene undermine the fundamental rights of women, girls, and menstruating individuals. For example, the right to decent work and education, especially in countries where access to menstrual hygiene products is limited or nonexistent.
For example, the United Nations (2023) states that in Gambia, the smallest nation in Africa, menstrual poverty is widespread throughout the country and hits rural areas the hardest. Consequently, some girls miss about five days of school per month due to lack of menstrual products and sanitary facilities. In 2021, the Argentine Government identified menstruation as an additional cost for women and menstruating individuals, representing 44% of the Basic Food Basket expenses annually. Similarly, in England, the General Secretary of the National Education Union stated that in 2018, over 1,370,000 students were absent from their educational institutions due to being unable to manage their menstruation properly.
Positive Menstrual Economy Practices
Some countries have designed policies and programs for menstrual economy. For example:
- Scotland. In 2022, it became the first country in the world to offer free menstrual hygiene products in public places such as schools, universities, and community centers. This measure was part of the Menstrual Products Act.
- Kenya. In 2017, it eliminated the tax on menstrual hygiene products to make them accessible to women and girls in the country.
- Canada. In 2015, it eliminated the tax on menstrual hygiene products, recognizing that they are basic necessities and should not be taxed.
- Colombia. In 2018, it became the first Latin American country to eliminate the tax on sanitary towels and tampons. Establishing that they are indispensable products and their extra cost goes against gender equality.
Activism and Menstrual Economy
Regarding activism experiences, the figure of Dipisha Bhujel emerges in this scenario. She is a menstrual activist from Nepal who has worked tirelessly to address menstrual poverty and promote awareness about menstruation in her country. At a young age, she identified the challenges faced by women and girls in Nepal due to the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.
Dipisha founded “Pad2Go,” a non-profit organization dedicated to providing menstrual hygiene products to women and girls in rural and marginalized communities in Nepal. Through her work with Pad2Go, the activist has distributed thousands of sanitary pads and menstrual cups. She has also provided education on menstruation and the importance of maintaining good menstrual hygiene.
Additionally, Dipisha has been an active voice in the fight against the stigma and shame associated with menstruation in Nepal. She has participated in awareness campaigns and advocated for public policies that ensure equitable access to menstrual hygiene products for all women and girls. Bhujel is a prominent menstrual activist who has dedicated her life to improving the conditions of women and girls in Nepal, working to combat menstrual poverty and promote gender equality. This is a collective task and responsibility that falls on all governments around the world.
