Calls to End Period Poverty

Period poverty, or the inability to afford menstrual products, is a serious issue especially in developing countries, an issue menstruating girls and women grapple with monthly and a spotlight topic on Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed on May 28, each year.

In The Gambia, Africa's smallest nation, period poverty is prevalent across the country, but it hits harder in rural areas, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Some girls skip school for around five days every month due to the lack of menstrual products and sanitary facilities.

The girls are afraid of staining their clothes and become a target of bullying or abuse, the agency said. As a result, gender inequality widens; boys will have an advantage as they attend school more often than girls, who have a higher chance of dropping out.

To tackle this problem, UNFPA developed a project in Basse, in the country's Upper River Region, to produce recyclable sanitary pads. These pads are distributed at schools and hospitals in local communities.

Poor menstrual health and hygiene undercuts fundamental rights - including the right to work and go to school - for those who menstruate, and worsens social and economic inequalities, the agency said.

In addition, insufficient resources to manage menstruation, as well as patterns of exclusion and shame, undermine human dignity. Gender inequality, extreme poverty, humanitarian crises and harmful traditions can amplify deprivation and stigma.