Periods. For millions of people everywhere, they’re simply a part of life. But around the world, including here in the UK, they continue to be surrounded by shame, stigma and taboo. It’s affecting the way girls live their lives – and their futures.

Girls are growing up with all kinds of obstacles to managing their periods, from living without access to clean water and decent toilets to period poverty, which prevents them buying the sanitary products they need. In some countries, girls are being banished from their homes or told they can’t go to school when they have their period. These barriers are having a profound impact on girls' education, their health and their wellbeing, and it has to change. 

We’re working with girls globally to end the stigma. We’re building girl-friendly toilets in schools and communities and making sure girls have access to period products. In the UK, we’ve launched a Menstrual Manifesto and our Let’s Talk. Period project. Thanks to your amazing support, we’ve also successfully campaigned for a period emoji and a change to the Relationships and Sex Education curriculum, to ensure girls have the knowledge they need about healthy periods.