Period Poverty; it’s a Matter of Dignity

 Put an end to period poverty with Penny Appeal’s Dignity Kits.

On Human Rights Day, protect women’s rights and put an end to period poverty with Penny Appeal’s Dignity Kits.

When you’re faced with disaster, displacement or an emergency, your period should be the least of your worries. Yet millions of women around the world struggle with their menstruation during these times, month after month.

Their struggle is a silent one; one that women and girls from all reaches of the globe can understand. In their lifetime, women spend roughly 3,000 days menstruating, and nearly 80% of all women who menstruate experience pain or discomfort. Menstruation is stigmatized around the world, despite it being a healthy biological process that most women go through every month.

This stigma forces many girls and women to experience anxiety and embarrassment during their periods, which is only made worse when there is a lack of basic feminine hygiene products on hand. This lack of access to sanitary products, due to financial constraints or otherwise, is called period poverty.
 

FIGHT PERIOD POVERTY

Period poverty is a matter of human rights, dignity and public health. Lack of sanitary napkins, cloths and other materials can impair daily activities for women and girls, such as going to school, going to work or even simply stepping outside of their homes. Combating period poverty by helping women and girls manage their periods with dignity allows them to carry on with their education without interruption and continue to provide for themselves and their families without shame.

Period poverty can also result in real health issues for women. Improper menstrual hygiene can cause women to contract urinary tract infections, toxic shock syndrome and experience reproductive issues. In the developing world and disaster struck areas, many girls and women who cannot afford sanitary napkins use torn rags, newspapers, leaves and other materials in place of menstrual products; these are not only uncomfortable but also highly unhygienic. Just like soap and first-aid items, period products are absolute health necessities.  

Period poverty impedes a woman’s dignity and disempowers many of them within their communities. If we can take steps to end period poverty, we can eradicate the negative stigma that menstruation carries in many parts of the world. The shame that many girls and women carry surrounding their periods can have serious strain on their mental health, but by providing them with proper sanitary items and education, we can overcome the stigma, shame and health issues together.
 

GIVE A DIGNITY KIT

Penny Appeal has started spreading dignity charity in Rohingya and Indonesia, as part of our Emergency Response appeals. In the wake of disaster and conflict, we are making sure that women and girls have their basic hygiene needs met with Dignity Kits.

The items in these Dignity Kits vary across different communities, but all items are delivered in a reusable bucket that can also be used for washing. The general contents of our Dignity kits consist of sanitary napkins, soap, laundry bars, multiple pairs of underwear, clothing, a solar lantern and sandals.

Our Dignity Kits price is £50, and every donation allows women and girls to maintain their self-respect as they rebuild their lives. In most disaster ridden areas and displaced communities, hygiene is a major issue and women’s hygiene is often overlooked, but Penny Appeal are making moves to change that.

You can help end period poverty by donating towards our dignity charity, to equip women with the sanitary products they need to be comfortable in their own bodies every month. Girls won’t have to miss school, women won’t have to feel so ashamed that they stay indoors and everyone can make it through these trying times in comfort, without having to worry about menstruation.

So far, we have given out over 2,460 Dignity Kits to women and girls in Rohingya and Indonesia! Let’s work together to keep this incredible movement going and put an end to period poverty.

DONATE A DIGNITY KIT