Period Poverty
Back in 2021, We are Girls in Sport covered hygiene poverty on the blog. Hygiene poverty is when someone can’t afford hygiene products such as shampoo, shower gel and deodorant and understandably, it can have a huge impact on their life: people won’t go to school, they lose self-confidence and self-esteem, and given how most sports make you sweaty, maybe dirty too, they definitely don’t want to play sport or exercise.
Period Poverty
Period poverty fits within hygiene poverty and covers the inability to buy or have access to period products as well as a lack of period education and a lack of safe and hygienic toilets. Throughout this blog we’ll use the term period poverty to refer to the inability to purchase period products but it’s important to bear in mind the other factors too.
When period poverty hits a household, there are stories of girls using socks instead of sanitary pads, wads of toilet paper instead of pads and girls missing out on school, sport and socialising because they have their period but no products to help with it. It might not sound like much to miss out on these things once a month but the long-term impact on girls’ mental and physical health, plus their futures, is severe.
The Stats
The charity ActionAid has carried out some research in this field and the numbers are alarming. This is a global problem and not just one that impacts poorer countries:
“At least 500m women and girls lack access to the facilities they need to manage their period.
Over 50% of girls in the UK said they couldn’t afford menstrual products at some point in the last year
In a study in Missouri, US, nearly two thirds (64%) of women were unable to afford menstrual products.
65% of women and girls in Kenya are unable to afford menstrual products like sanitary pads.”
There is also research from YouGov in the UK and Medical News Today in the US while the European Waves website has data on European period poverty. What’s alarming is that these numbers are up to date; this is as of right now.
Period poverty and being active
If you can’t afford period products, you might be scared to leave the house in case you leak or smell. Being active, although so good for you whilst you have your period, might be the furthest thing from your mind. Periods are already a barrier to sport for many girls and period poverty is a huge factor.
We want to help girls to be active and stay active regardless of the time of the month. If girls know that there are period products at sports clubs then, even if money is tight, they are more likely to attend. They know that their period is taken care of whilst they’re there. For the time they’re at training or practice, they don’t need to worry; that anxiety over where the next tampon is going to come from, is lifted. They can continue to improve their physical and mental fitness, stress free.
Free period wear being stolen
We don’t think that free period wear is ever stolen. If stocks run down quickly, it’s because girls need the tampons and pads, whether they’re experiencing period poverty or not.
What can you do to help?
Here are some thoughts on what you can do to help ease period poverty:
Campaign for free period wear in your sports club or venue. Use the resources that we have and if you need extra help, get in touch (wearegirlsinsport@gmail.com)
Be conscious of, and kind towards, those who you suspect may be experiencing hygiene and/or period poverty.
Consider donating a free can of deodorant and bottle of shampoo in your sports club changing room.
Donate period wear (and hygiene products) to your local food bank. People think that food banks only take food but hygiene products are welcomed too. Food bank workers will make sure that they go to the people who need them.
At Boots the Chemist in the UK, look for The Hygiene Bank’s drop-off points. In these boxes, you can leave hygiene products including period products.
Share this blog and talk about it with your friends, families, teammates and fellow students. Make people aware of hygiene and period poverty - perhaps your school or sports club could have a drive for hygiene products for drop off at a food bank? De-clutter the bathroom and if you have brand new or barely used products, give them to a charity that needs them such as a women’s refuge.
Do you have more ideas? Share them with us and we’ll pass them on!
Providing free period wear in sports clubs and venues isn’t going to solve period poverty but it will help to ease it for those in need and it will definitely help girls Play On.