Always gains insight on period poverty through survey
Menstru-Mobile deploys experts during execution
Published:Saturday | July 8, 2023 | 12:15 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
THE FINDINGS of a recent survey conducted by Always, an American menstrual hygiene products brand, found that in Jamaica, 96 per cent of teenagers and girls believe that menstrual education must be delivered in schools.
This, though, was not seen as a surprising statistic for Monique Allen, certified holistic nutritionist and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and fertility coach.
As part of its End Period Poverty 2023 campaign, Always conducted a survey in countries of Central America and the Caribbean to gain further insights on period poverty in the region.
Through this campaign a Menstru-Mobile – a van that travelled through the capitals of Jamaica, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago during the month of April – was installed. On board the vehicle were two experts who engaged the public in conversations about period poverty.
Allen was one of the activists involved in the initiative along with Shelly-Ann Weeks, founder of the HerFlow Foundation, Marcelle Jackson and gynaecologist Dr Jody-Ann Jarrett, who guided the more than 250 participants in various areas of Kingston to inform them about the problems caused by period poverty. Sixty-eight per cent of the participants were women.
NO ACCESS TO MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS
Speaking with The Gleaner in an interview on Friday, Allen lamented that there were still too many Jamaican women and girls from low-income households who continued to face issues with accessing menstrual products such as sanitary pads, panty liners and tampons. This coupled with a lack of understanding of what this natural process entailed.
“Although the current system does try to stress the importance of good sexual habits, in terms of understanding the menstrual cycle for what it [truly] is and what deviations [are, and] what’s considered not to be normal when it comes on to your period is very important for young girls, young women and all people to be aware of,” Allen said.
She continued that while there were some women and young girls who had surface-level knowledge surrounding the topic of menstruation, there needed to be a greater number of those who are equipped with in-depth knowledge about their period.
As an example of this, Allen recalled that through her interactions with some individuals, she has learnt that many did not know the difference between a healthy menstrual cycle versus an unhealthy one.
“I work with women who have PCOS and so many women come to me and imagine that a healthy or normal cycle is one where they experience pains, which is not true,” she said.
She added that although periods can be “a bit uncomfortable”, an individual should not be experiencing excruciating pains which result in them not being able to function effectively and normally as this was an indication that something was wrong and that women needed to have a conversation with their doctor.
After such consultations, she said, individuals would often learn that they have fibroids or endometriosis.
Period poverty refers not only to the lack of access to menstrual products and hygiene education during menstruation, but encapsulates the lack of toilets, handwashing and waste management facilities. In addition, according to data from UNICEF, 95 per cent of teenagers feel uncomfortable attending school during their period. Sixty-one per cent of the respondents from the survey further revealed that there are still taboos around periods. Both would result in problems that escalate to a higher level such as absenteeism in schools. The campaign, End Period Poverty, ensured that for each pack of Always pads purchased, the brand donated a feminine pad through non-governmental organisations and commercial allies.