Photo: Karolina Grabowska | Pexels
People who are unable to afford menstrual hygiene products are at risk of resorting to using unsafe materials. They are also limited in their ability to concentrate fully on their school, work, and well-being. In response, countries around the world are working to make period products more accessible. In 2018 the Australian government announced a plan to provide free pads and tampons in all public schools and vouched to transform period stigma. On the other side of the world, France started distributing organic period products to all high school students in 2020. Universities followed suit not long after. In Kenya, public schools began distributing free sanitary pads to girls in 2018. For women in Seoul, South Korea, menstrual leave at work has garnered more attention from its government. And in the United States, Washington, Illinois, Virginia and New York are all providing menstrual products in their education systems. Most recently, public schools in California and Ontario have joined the ranks, too. The collective effort is a step toward addressing period poverty, along with continued education, sanitation facilities, and addressing of harmful gender norms.
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