Periods don’t wait for the conflict to end
Millions of girls and women are still struggling to manage their menstrual hygiene in the midst of crises and conflicts, writes Sabina Bergholm, Head of Advocacy at Finn Church Aid.
HOW EASY is it for you to buy menstrual products for yourself or a family member? In most EU countries, like Finland, this probably isn’t a major problem if you have enough money in your account to cover everyday expenses
The 28th of May marks International Menstrual Health Day. It reminds us that the world’s 1.8 billion adolescent girls and adult women do not have equal opportunities to go about their daily lives during their periods. How well one copes with menstruation is not just a matter of personal attitude. Menstruation is a normal part of life, but circumstances can turn a natural process into unnecessary suffering.
Even today, millions of girls and women are struggling to manage their menstrual hygiene in the midst of crises and conflicts. In Gaza, for example, the UN reports that 700,000 girls and women have been forced to cope with daily life for three years now without proper menstrual products. Additional problems in Gaza and in most refugee camps around the world stem from the fact that toilet facilities may be very unhygienic, unsafe, lack running water, or must be shared with hundreds, if not thousands, of others.
Another problem is the availability of menstrual products. These products are either unavailable or so expensive that families are often forced to choose between buying food and buying menstrual products, which ensure their daughters can attend school.
Nothing is more important for building the future than ensuring that girls who have become refugees can continue their education; but they also need to eat.
FUNDING FOR humanitarian aid has declined dramatically in recent years. Even the largest humanitarian aid organizations, including the UN, have been forced to focus their assistance on helping the most vulnerable people survive due to insufficient funding. You don’t die from menstruation, but you can die from hunger and a lack of clean drinking water.
Nearly a quarter of Ugandan girls drop out of school because of their periods. Refugee girls are in an even more vulnerable position. Without proper sanitary products, girls either cannot or are too embarrassed to go to school due to the stigmas and taboos surrounding menstruation.
Menstrual hygiene is also, quite literally, at risk of becoming a casualty of conflict.
In April, Myanmar’s government ordered that sanitary products not be transported to refugee camps in the country’s conflict zones. The ban is based on the concern that rebel fighters could use sanitary pads to dress wounds.
The idea is absurd and once again puts girls and women at a disadvantage. As the name suggests, menstruation occurs once a month. It, along with the schooling and daily lives of millions of girls and women, cannot wait for wars to end.
