This week, the lecture focus was sanitation. As a result, I wanted to look into the term "period poverty". I have heard this term countless times and yet I have never looked into how this issue plays out in real time.
One of the definitions for 'period poverty' or menstrual health management (MHM) was not having access to soap and water to be able to wash during menstruation, as well as not having access to facilities where menstrual products can be disposed of correctly (Tull, 2019). Period poverty is therefore clearly related to the problem of access to clean water.
Research by UNICEF has highlighted a shocking statistic that '65% of females in Kibera... had traded sex for sanitary pads due to the prevalence of period poverty and the shame, stigma and public health misinformation which surrounds menstruation' (ibid). Though it is important to acknowledge that this statistic is only indicative of the wider issue (and UNICEF Kenya stated that this information had been "misquoted"), this statistic really brought home to me the extent of this problem.
In Nigeria alone, '25% of women lack adequate privacy for menstrual hygiene management' (Ogeyi Odey et al., 2021). This situation has been further worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic which caused a 'shortage in the supply of menstrual products, a hike in price [and] difficulty accessing clean water to manage periods' (ibid).
Without access to appropriate menstrual products, many young girls in Nigeria have to use unsanitary alternatives which leave them with heightened levels of anxiety about attending school whilst on their period. This leads to increased school absences among girls. Ogeyi Odey emphasises the importance of 'water and soap hygiene' in helping girls to feel confident in going to school on their period, however 'having access to facilities that aid water, sanitation and health are quite challenging' (ibid). Improved water infrastructure would have a direct impact on the effects of period poverty felt in Nigeria and elsewhere.
It is of course not only women of school age who are affected by period poverty. A study into "The impact of menstruation hygiene management on work absenteeism of women in Burkina Faso" found that when women had access to sanitary pads as opposed to having to use cloth to manage their periods, female work absenteeism was reduced by 24% (Krenz & Strulik, 2021).
These statistics have been a wake-up call to me about the extent of the issue not only in countries such as Nigeria, but here in the UK as well. One of the solutions to this issue is education. Education on female biology would help to reduce the stigma surrounding periods, as identified in Nigeria. Equally, education on menstrual and sexual health is crucial in tacking period poverty. Having access to appropriate sanitary products would reduce the number of girls having to turn to sex work in order to afford menstrual products, which would consequently reduce the likelihood of STI transmission and the chances of sexual violence (Ogeyi Odey et al., 2021). Access to clean water to be able to practice feminine hygiene would play a huge role in increasing the number of women who felt able to attend school/work whilst on their period.
This is an issue to be tackled by everyone, not just women. I agree with Ogeyi Odey that 'Governments, CSOs, and private institutions should make it a priority to invest in core public health infrastructure; including water and sanitation systems' , especially due to the increased difficulties surrounding the effects of Covid-19 (2021).
What are the socioculitural context in which period poverty' or inaadequte menstrual health management manifest or pesist. We cannot overrule the role of economic inequality in sustainain the issue but maybe education alone won't help us turn the corner. Maybe entrench patriarchy and imbalances in sociocultural norms that affect women need to be revisted, understood, question and reenginnered. Good engagement with literature but references need to be embeded.
ReplyDeleteHi Clement, I definitely agree that education alone is not going to completely eradicate period poverty, but I believe it is an important step in challenging the entrenched patriarchy and imbalances in sociocultural norms that you mentioned. Educating women, and therefore including them in conversations surrounding development, will help to bring issues such as MHM to public attention, and hopefully dismantle the taboo that currently exists surrounding menstruation. I agree that there is a long way to go in tackling the economic inequality between the genders (which will be the subject of my next blogpost) and that this undoubtedly plays a part in contributing to period poverty. The lack of independent income to afford feminine hygiene products is a huge issue when tackling period poverty. The effects of period poverty are felt most strongly in rural areas and areas of lower average-income due to the lack of infrastructure in such areas to deal with the sanitation needs that accompany menstruation. In these cases, community-led initiatives to create reusable sanitary products and build toilets with the appropriate waste facilities, for example, need to accompany education in order to improve MHM.
DeleteHi Lottie! This was a great post with many shocking statistics. I really enjoyed how you linked period poverty to the UK, since this is also an issue faced in developed countries (of course, not to the same extent, yet still present). What role do you think taboos play in reinforcing period poverty? I was also wondering if you considered the role of sustainable period products in reducing the issues associated with period poverty? Especially since menstrual cups, for example, can be used for around ten years.
ReplyDeleteHi Greta, thank you for your comment! I agree that the statistics are shocking. I think the taboo that surrounds MHM prohibits the issue of period poverty from being addressed efficiently within communities which are lacking in the necessary resources for women to effectively manage their periods. It also forces periods out of sight, meaning women and girls feel like they need to miss school/work when they are menstruating. This is to the detriment of their education and careers. And yes this is a really good point! I have since done a whole blogpost on how reusable sanitary products can be crucial in the fight against period poverty due to their longevity and the fact that they can be used as a source of income for women in rural and low-income areas if you want to read about it!
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