Period poverty is a significant issue affecting girls and women in many African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana. Many girls celebrate receiving period products, yet for some, these may be the only ones they receive all year.
In some countries, the cost of sanitary products is a heavy burden, with low-income women spending up to 13% of their monthly wage on these items. In Ghana, women earning just $26 per month must spend at least $3 on pads, which is a significant portion of their income. This situation leads to girls using alternatives such as newspaper or even engaging in transactional sex to obtain the products they need.
Period poverty is defined by the United Nations Population Fund as the difficulty many low-income women face when trying to afford menstrual products. Activists like Nakozola and Ibrahim are working to raise awareness and remove the stigma surrounding menstruation, aiming for gender equality and empowerment.
Nakozola successfully advocated for the removal of the 15% sales tax on sanitary pads in South Africa and is now working to pass a Menstrual Health Rights Bill. There is hope that collective efforts can help end period poverty globally and contribute to the eradication of poverty.
Vocabulary:
• Empowerment (noun): The process of giving people the power to control their own lives.
• Eradicate (verb): To completely destroy or eliminate something.
• Transactional sex (noun): A form of sex in which an individual provides sex in exchange for goods, services, or money.
• Stigma (noun): A negative association or discrimination related to a particular circumstance or condition.
• Menstrual hygiene (noun): The practices surrounding menstruation, including the use of sanitary products.
• Wage (noun): The money a person is paid for their work.
Source: BBC News