Tackling Period Poverty
What is period poverty?
Put simply, period poverty is being unable to afford period products due to the cost, and not having the knowledge about periods and period products that you need. It might seem strange that this is even an issue to begin with, but it’s a harsh reality for people who get periods around the world, even right here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
It leads to people missing out on school, work and other important life activities. It can also lead to physical health problems, like infections caused by using products or items that are not safe or clean, as well as embarrassment and shame.
Here in Aotearoa New Zealand, research on school students around the country has underscored the issue of period inequity faced by many of our most vulnerable communities.
In 2019, researchers from four Universities collaborated to survey over 7,700 students in New Zealand. The results provided, for the first time, a nationally representative picture of the scale of the problem. A peek into this problem via the survey results can be seen in the graphics below.