As we celebrate women’s day in March, it only sounds better if some of the health challenges are also addressed. For millions of women and girls, having their menstruation is not just a natural cycle but a hindrance to education, work and health. Period poverty is simply defined as the lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities and education. A huge number of females are affected yearly. Despite being a biological process, menstruation remains stigmatized, leaving many girls vulnerable to health and social consequences. Understanding period poverty encompasses more than just the inability to afford sanitary products. It includes the lack of access to clean water, safe facilities and menstrual health education. In low-income communities, such as many Ghanaian villages and rural areas, women resort to using rags, newspapers or even leaves as substitutes for proper menstrual products.
From a global perspective, approximately 500 million females worldwide face period poverty leading to significant health and social issues. In Ghanaian rural areas, 95% of girls have been reported missing or absent during their periods due to inadequate access to menstrual products. Furthermore, the World Bank estimates that 11.5 million Ghanaian women lack access to adequate menstrual hygiene and sanitation. There are several health consequences of period poverty. To begin with, there is increased risk of infections. Without good access to clean and safe menstrual hygiene products, many women use unsafe materials which may lead to urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections and reproductive health complications. Another effects is the strain on mental health and emotional well-being. Feelings of shame, embarrassment and isolation due to the period stigma has caused mental issues for several girls of school going ages. Higher rates of anxiety and depression is also common among them. Such girls and women may even have low self-esteem in school and the workplace. Period poverty also has an impact on education and economics. Girls who lack access to period products often miss school and this in turn affects their academic performance. Many documentaries made in Ghana can attest to this fact. It is usually because the girls cannot afford the sanitary pads.
One may ask how can this issue be solved. Fighting period poverty is definitely not a ‘one-day’ work. There is a need for sustainable solutions. First and foremost, there is a need for some policy changes which would scrap off the taxes on menstrual products. A lot of people have been advocating for the removal of the taxes on menstrual products to help make them affordable to every female who needs them. Additionally, menstrual health education should be encouraged especially in schools to help break the stigma around menstruation and educate both genders on its importance. Furthermore, reusable menstrual products such as the menstrual caps and reusable pads may be introduced as cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives. Some organisations in Ghana have already started the distribution of menstrual caps to female athletes to help reduce period poverty.
In a nutshell, period poverty is not just a woman’s issue, it is a global public health and human rights concern. Addressing this problem requires policy changes, community support and breaking the silence around menstruation. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address period poverty through various goals particularly the SDG 3 (Good health and wellbeing), SDG 5 (Gender equality) and SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) aiming to menstrual hygiene and health for all. No woman has to suffer because of a biological process she has no control over. It is time to end period poverty.
It doesn’t end here.
Tracy Obeng Nyamekye.
