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module menu icon The bigger picture

The bigger picture

Period poverty may seem incomprehensible to some people; after all, sanitary products are a couple of quid. But consider for a moment a 2015 study which found that on average women in the UK spent more than £18,000 during their lifetime on menstruation management, needing to buy sanitary products, painkillers and new underwear to replace stained items. For those on the breadline struggling to pay the bills and keep their heads above water, sanitary products are a luxury that can be cut in favour of trying to keep everyone in a household warm, safe and fed.

The knock-on effects can be profound, not only in terms of the physical and psychological impact, but also educationally: a girl who regularly misses school because of period poverty will soon rack up days absent, disadvantaging her compared to her peers with better attendance and potentially having adverse long-term outcomes.