What is period poverty?

Simply put, period poverty is the “inadequate access to menstrual hygiene tools and educations, including but not limited to sanitary products, washing facilities, and waste management,” as defined by the American Medical Women’s Association

While it may sound like a simple problem, in reality, period poverty isn’t the result of any single one factor. It is rather the outcome from a multitude of factors that adversely affect those who can least afford period products, and a spotty patchwork of scant resources trying desperately to address the problem. For that reason, period poverty can manifest itself in a variety of ways. For example, a lack of access to sanitary products could be due to an inability to afford them, an inability to find a retailer who can supply them or even just a lack of knowledge on where to look for them. Conversely, for the individual experiencing poverty, the choice between affording food, shelter and other necessities may make it impossible to afford sanitary products.

Other less obvious factors can also contribute to period poverty. For example, in the United States, 35 states impose a sales tax on menstrual products because they are considered “non-essential goods”, making sanitation products more costly. Period products are also not able to be purchased with public assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, nor with Medicaid, Medicare or health insurance spending accounts. Food pantries and other nonprofits often try to step in and fill this gap, but a lack of education means that people who need the products don’t always know they are available.

Cultural stigma around menstruation can make period poverty worse for those who are unable to source products, as emotional health takes a toll. Self-consciousness, embarrassment and shame are some of the most reported emotions experienced by those experiencing period poverty. This can lead to development of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, or worse, can result in suicide.

Who is most at risk of period poverty?

While period poverty impacts those you might expect, such as the homeless, indigent and incarcerated, many others are also disproportionately impacted. To start with, there are at least 42 million impoverished women in the United States, many of whom experience period poverty regularly. Of course, that number doesn’t capture thousands of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people who also menstruate every month, and are also at increased risk of experiencing poverty. Those living in poverty are often the ones most likely to experience period poverty month after month, as they are the ones least able to afford or access menstrual products.

Working families can also be impacted, however, as the school-aged children of these families can be caught with their first period not knowing where to find what they need when their families can’t afford it, or when conversations about it are too uncomfortable. In this case, a lack of education is often the leading contributing factor to a young child experiencing period poverty.

Women of color are another demographic that is disproportionately impacted by period poverty. In the United States, women of color, including Black, Native, Latina and Asian women, all experience higher rates of poverty than white women. Of that group, Native American women are particularly vulnerable to period poverty. Across the United States, nearly a third of Native Americans live in poverty, almost triple the national poverty rate, making income a struggle. Access to period products is another challenge. Native American reservations are frequently located far away from the nearest town, and mass merchant retailers are also few and far between. Even when Native Americans are able to locate menstruation products for sale, the prices can be prohibitive. As Clare Heurter, the principal at Red Cloud High School told TODAY, “It is incredibly difficult to have resources. There is a store in town, but the prices are just insane.”

Why is it important we address period poverty?

Periods already come with an attached social stigma. Young girls globally learn through embarrassing experiences that menstruation is shameful, and should be kept secret. As a result, lack of access to menstrual products can have a profound impact on the people experiencing period poverty.

The impacts of period poverty are particularly devastating to the development of young girls and women. In the US, 84% of students have either missed class time or know someone who missed class time because they did not have access to period products.

Missing school, no matter the cause, is the first step to a student eventually dropping out of school altogether. As bad as that is, though, it’s not just missing school. Some girls report peers being bullied and shamed about their periods. 1 in 3 young people feel less confident due to missing after school activities as a result of lack of access to period products. Add to that feelings of self consciousness, embarrassment and shame, and it can have a real negative impact on the development of young women, especially compared to those who do not menstruate, a challenge encapsulated in the term “menstrual equity”.

Perhaps the most succinct reason for why we should address period poverty, and strive to achieve “menstrual equity” comes from author Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, from her book Periods Gone Public: Taking a
Stand for Menstrual Equity.

Many of these problems can be solved simply by making sanitary products available for free to those
who need them the most, in much the same way that toilet paper, paper towels and hand soap. “We
don’t expect people to walk around with rolls of toilet paper on them,” says Nancy Kramer of Free The Tampons. “I don’t think we should expect people to walk around with tampons and pads on them.” As a case in point, just six months after the introduction of a pilot program in New York City, where the Department of Education provided free menstrual products in the bathrooms of schools serving girls in grades six through twelve, school attendance was found to increase 2.4%.

Of course, providing free menstrual products and reducing or eliminating period poverty would have effects beyond school enrollment. It can help de-stigmatize menstruation, and help people who menstruate feel a higher sense of self-esteem, free from the embarrassment and shame society projects upon them, and restore a sense of dignity all too easily taken from them, simply because they don’t have a sanitary product.

How has COVID-19 impacted those experiencing period poverty?

It is perhaps no surprise that COVID-19 has made life even more difficult for those experiencing period poverty. “Periods don’t stop during a pandemic” says Dr. Rosamund Ebdon, Plan International’s Head of Policy, “but managing them safely and with dignity has become a whole lot harder.”

While some issues, such as rising poverty rates due to unemployment and lockdowns making it difficult to access available resources are obvious problems exacerbated by a global pandemic, supply chain problems for manufacturers of menstruation products have led to a lack of products available for sale.

When products are still available, prices can rise to the level of unaffordability. And when supply chains seize up and shut down, product shortages can manifest. For all these reasons, Plan International has found that supply shortages are the number one issue reported during the pandemic.

Rising poverty rates during the COVID-19 pandemic have also put a strain on non-profit organizations.

Charities that have historically provided menstrual products to those in need have reported a steep rise in demand, while some women who are unable to procure products have had to improvise, using items such as “newspaper, pillow cases or tea towels.” Making matters worse, those who use improvised materials are put at a heightened risk for urogenital infections, including urinary tract infections and vaginosis.

Receiving adequate donations of period products has been a challenge as well. Kind hearted donors have been responsive to organizations by donating food and other necessities, but often don’t think to donate menstrual products. And nonprofits faced the same shortage of supplies as consumers early in the pandemic, as people rushed to stock up on supplies, fearing the worst.

How can you help those impacted by period poverty?

One of the easiest ways to solve the problem of period poverty is to simply make menstrual products accessible for free – for example, in restrooms and public spaces.

Of course, we’re committed to helping end period poverty as well, and have two ways you can help!

The first way is by sponsoring a donation kit. When you sponsor a kit for just $3.50, we will give a one-month supply of menstruation supplies and dignity to one person in need. Of course, you can always donate more, ensuring individuals have access to menstruation supplies for many months to come.

The second way you can get involved is by hosting your own Menstrual Care Kit Fundraiser. We’ll provide all the support and resources you need to streamline your efforts in raising funds and distributing products in your local area. Our fundraising events are great for students, religious organizations, and corporate community engagement, but anyone can host a fundraiser today.

Another way you can help is by engaging with your state and local lawmakers. Only a few US states have made period products available in schools for free. Federal prisons also provide menstrual products for free, but many state and local prisons have failed to follow suit. And currently, 35 states classify menstrual products as “luxury items“, and not medically necessary. The American Medical Women’s Association makes it easy to do this, by providing a pre-written letter for congress and a national petition to the Department of Education that you can sign. These are two easy things you can do right now! You can also get involved locally, by engaging with leaders at schools, churches or other institutions about how they can provide menstrual products for free in their facilities.

Closing Thoughts

While there is a strong global movement working to make menstrual products accessible to everyone who needs them, there is still much more that needs to be done to end period poverty. By making use of the resources linked throughout this article, as well as those provided below, you can begin the processes of further educating yourself on the problem of period poverty, so that you can join us in the fight to end period poverty.

Free resources for those experiencing period poverty.

For further reading:
Period Poverty Pamphlet – American Medical Women’s Association
Periods, Poverty, and the Need for Policy – Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters
Periods in a Pandemic – Plan International
Period. End of Sentence. – Netflix

Organizations providing resources:

The 28 Days Project – Providing feminine protection to women and girls in need
Girls Helping Girls. Period – Donates a year’s supply of menstrual products to women/girls in need
The Kwek Society – Focused on supplying Native students and communities the period products
they need