Education, Skills and Learning

It will take a lot more than free menstrual pads to end period poverty

Mariam Kebadze, 16, fixes her hair during an evening walk along Alazani river in Jokolo village of Pankisi, Georgia, May 31, 2019. Mariam used to live with her father in Telavi and moved to Pankisi where she now lives and studies to support her mother Leila Achishvili who is running a guesthouse. "It's really boring sometimes here, there's not much to do in the village because it's the same routine all the time - school, classes, jogging by the river sometimes. Girls don't go outside at night because they are embarrassed and sometimes I really miss going for a walk in the evening, I like nights," she said. "One of my dreams is to live somewhere in the mountains, maybe in Switzerland. I read about a music festival in a forest there with beautiful lights at night, and people just dancing and laughing, they are so free and cheerful." REUTERS/Ekaterina Anchevskaya SEARCH "PANKISI WOMEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. - RC1FFD6E02B0

A large proportion of the global population are disadvantaged by having a period. Image: REUTERS/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Dani Barrington
Lecturer in Water, Sanitation and Health, University of Leeds
Emily Wilson
Honorary Research Fellow, University of Sheffield
Hazel Barrett
Professor in Development Geography, Coventry University
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School girls examine a reusable menstrual pad as part of a community event.
School girls examine a reusable menstrual pad as part of a community event. Image: © Irise International, Author provided
Ugandan school girls complete a feedback questionnaire.
Ugandan school girls complete a feedback questionnaire. Image: © Irise International, Author provided
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Irise educator teaches local girls in Uganda.
Irise educator teaches local girls in Uganda. Image: © Irise International, Author provided
Girls looking at products.
Girls looking at products. Image: © Irise International, Author provided
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