Alberta government battles period poverty at home

Tammy Compton restocks tampons at Compton's Market in Sacramento, Calif., on June 22, 2016. Women in federally regulated workplaces may soon find free menstrual products under a government proposal made public Friday. What the government proposes is to put menstrual products, such as tampons, in the same group of supplies employers must provide for free, which includes toilet paper, soap, warm water, and a way to dry your hands. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Rich Pedroncelli

CALGARY ( 660 NEWS ) — Many women, girls, and menstruating people cannot afford menstrual hygiene products like pads or tampons. This is a problem known as period poverty.

In order to combat this issue, the Alberta government is donating $260,000 to the United Way’s Period Promise campaign. The new campaign will see menstrual products provided for free in over 100 schools across the province.

The announcement came on Friday, marking Menstrual Hygiene Day.

LISTEN: 660’s Devon Banfield speaks with University of Calgary professor Dr. Rebecca Sullivan about period poverty

In a press release, Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange says no one should have to miss school because of a period.

“By investing in the United Way’s Period Promise campaign, we are ensuring our students have access to period products to help end the stigma around menstruation and ensure Alberta’s students are supported inside, and outside the classroom,” the statement read.

Dr. Rebecca Sullivan, a professor in the University of Calgary’s Gender and Sexuality Department, says we need to reconsider the way we think of these products.

“Period poverty certainly isn’t an issue unique to Alberta, it’s a global issue,” said Sullivan.

“We need to think of menstrual products the same way that we think of soap and toilet paper — necessities.”

Plan International Canada (PCI) reports one-in-three Canadian women have sacrificed something else to be able to afford feminine hygiene products, which Sullivan says is wrong.

“When you don’t have enough money, you’re making difficult decisions,” said Sullivan.

“It’s groceries or tampons. It’s paying rent or tampons. It’s your children’s school fees or tampons.”

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Data from PIC shows that 70 per cent of Canadian menstruating people report missing school, work, or other life events due to their periods.

“If you miss one week of school a month, that puts you at a lifetime disadvantage in an already crippling level of disadvantage,” Sullivan said, adding shame and stigma surrounding periods leads to a lot of people struggling to ask for help.

It’s estimated the average menstruating person will use more than 17,000 pads or tampons in their lifetime.

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