About half of the world’s population menstruates at some point in their lives, and one in four is menstruating every month. In other words → Over 800 million people are menstruating every day, spending nearly 7 years of their life menstruating.

Although menstruation is a completely natural process and a sign of a healthy body, in practice, it comes with social and economic consequences, and is a matter of human rights.

What is period poverty?

→ Menstruation is still not openly discussed in many areas due to reasons like embarrassment caused by social and cultural norms, and the fear of being stigmatized. This turns menstruation into a taboo.

→ More than 500 million people worldwide lack access to basic needs such as information, hygienic conditions, and menstrual products to manage menstruation safely and healthily. Inequalities exacerbate this situation.

The taboo around menstruation and the lack of access to basic needs for menstrual hygiene and health define what we call period poverty.

Why is period poverty a human rights issue?

• In Türkiye, children and young people cannot access comprehensive information and education about menstruation.
• The vast majority of people who menstruate face difficulties in purchasing menstrual products.*
• People living under challenging conditions or from marginalized groups experience period poverty even more deeply. **
• Nearly half of them cannot afford menstrual products because they are too expensive and therefore are forced to use unhygienic methods.
• In times of disasters and humanitarian crises, period poverty deepens.

In the wake of the 6 February 2023 earthquakes, the difficulties in accessing clean water, safe and hygienic spaces, privacy, and menstrual products in temporary shelters are stark reminders of this issue. And it’s not just those directly affected by the disaster—relief workers and service providers in the field also experienced period poverty. For more information, check out the Post-Disaster Menstrual Hygiene Guide (Turkish only).

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

• Educate yourself with accurate information about menstruation and period poverty, and spread the word.
• Create safe spaces where people can talk about menstruation.
• Follow reliable NGOs working on period poverty and help amplify their messages.
• Whether you menstruate or not, always include menstrual products in your emergency bag.
• At school, work, or in public spaces, demand that menstrual products be accessible and, if possible, free for all.

Menstrual health is not a privilege—it’s a right. Menstrual products are not a luxury, they are a basic necessity.

#ActNow to fight period poverty and defend equal rights and opportunities for everyone! 

This content was prepared in collaboration with TabuKamu, We Need to Talk Association and UNFPA Türkiye.