in focus
Period
Period poverty and the use of sustainable products by ActionAid UK
poverty
How much are you spending on periods in your lifetime? Our calculator gives a stark reminder of the financial burden of menstruating. As a result of this cost, millions of women and girls worldwide can’t afford to buy or access the
Aida is a 16-year-old girl in Malawi
who wants to be a nurse when she’s older but who began to skip school because of the bullying she faced when she had no means of cleaning or changing her pad. “The boys could see the cloth and they laugh at me, so I go home to escape the bullying,” she says. 14
safe sanitary products they need to manage their periods without shame or stigma. In the countries that ActionAid UK works in, women and girls are often forced to use whatever they can to manage their periods, including rags, newspapers and even tree leaves. Those who have some pads may also have no choice but to re-use the same one for many days – putting their health at serious risk. These same women and girls often face local taboos about menstruation as well, which restrict their way of life further. For example, in some cultures menstruating women and girls are prohibited from using salt in their cooking; milking animals, and touching other family members during their cycle. They are also told they can’t get pregnant if they
