Global ‘polycrisis’ is endangering girls’ access to period products and menstrual health

The hidden menstrual health crisis: new research reveals multiple crises around the world endangering ability of young people to manage their periods safely.

A new report, released by global children’s charity Plan International ahead of World Menstrual Health Day, has found the effects of the so-called polycrisis – the simultaneous and overlapping crises of cost of living, climate disasters, food insecurity and conflict around the world – has severely impacted young women and girls’ access to menstrual health information and products, and safely manage their periods. 

In a global survey that reflected the experiences of tens of thousands of young women in the Global South, 90.9% of sexual, reproductive, and menstrual health experts surveyed said the current global crises have affected the ability of the girls and women they work with to access menstrual health management information or products, while 96.3% said girls and young women are finding it harder to pay for menstrual health products.

Drawing on data and evidence from 168 frontline specialists – who each work directly with hundreds of adolescent girls - across 44 countries where Plan International works, the report, A Tough Period, found:

• 91.1% of the experts surveyed said the polycrisis has adversely affected the ability of adolescent girls, young women and people who menstruate to access sanitary products.
• 96.3% of the experts surveyed said compared to before the current polycrisis, families are finding it harder to pay for menstrual health products. 
• Some 80.2% said it was harder for women and girls to find water to manage their periods safely – a particular concern for SRHR experts working in drought-stricken countries.
• 51.6% reported that women and girls are now using makeshift materials, such as used clothing, towels, old cloth, cottonwool and rags, while they are menstruating, in lieu of period products. This predisposes them to a number of infections, and reproductive and urinary tract infections that can cause birth complications and infertility.
• Two-thirds of respondents (67%) attributed difficulties accessing menstrual products as a contributing factor to increased child, early and forced marriage. 

13-year-old Sofiana is from Haiti, where widespread hunger and gang violence is having a devastating impact and 90% of the population live below the poverty line. She says:

"I sometimes find it difficult to buy sanitary pads because I don’t have enough money. I don't feel comfortable when I have my period. When I can't afford to buy the supplies, I use old clothes instead.”

Mulki is a 26-year old activist from Somaliland, one of the areas most affected by drought and hunger in the Horn of Africa. Supported by Plan International and national partner, NAFIS, Mulki works to raise awareness among young people of health, hygiene, and periods. She says:

“If girls don’t have enough water they may end up using dirty period products, which can directly affect their health. They may develop infectious diseases – we see people go to hospital because of this. But sometimes they don’t have the money to go to hospital, to get drugs, or to treat themselves.

“If a girl develops an infection at a young age, it can end up affecting her entire life. She may have complications in the long term; she could develop kidney disease, or she could have problems getting pregnant. And if a girl is still in education and she cannot manage her period, or if she doesn’t have access to sanitary kits, she may be absent for long periods of time or even drop out entirely. We see a lot of cases.”

This shocking global picture comes after Plan International UK’s 2022 research found that over 1 in 4 girls (28%) aged 14-21 in the UK had struggled to afford period products amidst the worst cost of living crisis in 40 years. Of those, half reported having to cut back on food and groceries to be able to buy period products.

Rose Caldwell, CEO of Plan International UK, says:

“This research paints a bleak picture of how women and girls’ needs are being forgotten during a time of unprecedented crises, both globally and here in the UK. The cost of essential items is rising every day, and in countries like Somaliland and Haiti food and water are scarce after months of drought. Access to period products, and the right to manage your period with dignity, are hidden casualties of the rising number of crises around the world. We cannot allow this to continue.”

Plan International UK is responding to global humanitarian emergencies, including the devastating hunger crisis in East Africa. The charity works to meet immediate and long-term survival needs, including providing girls and women with dignity kits so they can manage their periods, even in the toughest conditions. Donate to the charity’s emergency fund at www.plan-uk.org/emergencies.

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About Plan International UK  

Plan International UK is a global children’s charity. We work to give every child the same chance in life.  

In every child there’s a spark of imagination, curiosity and ambition. But not every child is born with the same opportunities.   

When you face poverty or violence the odds are stacked against you. When you’re a girl it’s even harder to be safe, in school and in charge of your body.   

All children deserve an education, health care and clean water. All children deserve the chance to thrive.   

We’re fighting so every child, especially every girl, knows their value. We’re fighting so the communities they’re growing up in – and the world around them – value them too.   

And if disaster strikes we’re there to protect children, keep them learning and help them recover.