More than two billion women globally menstruate every month. The average woman has her period every month for five days and uses four pads daily. She will menstruate for approximately 3,500 days or approximately 10 years over the course of her lifetime; some estimate that a woman uses 11,000 to 15,000 sanitary products.

Yet period poverty affects millions of women and girls who cannot afford menstrual products, which disrupts their education, work, and other lifestyle freedoms.

In the United States of America, one in four teens and one in three adults struggle to afford period products, especially teens of colour and lower-income households. A 2020 survey by Plan International showed that three in 10 girls in the United Kingdom struggled to afford or access menstrual products, and more than half of them used toilet paper instead. (United Nations Population Fund)

It is estimated that 23 per cent of people living in Jamaica lived below the poverty line in 2020. It also estimated that approximately 44 per cent of girls had to go without proper feminine napkin supplies during their various menstrual cycles.

The average cost for a pack of sanitary napkins varies across wholesale and retail outlets. On my most recent trip to the pharmacy, I perused the feminine napkin shelves to compare and contrast prices. Some of what I saw included the following prices:

* Always 27 maxi with wings – $1,820

* Stay Free 28 ultra-thin all in one – $1,469

* Libresse 10 maxi long – $1,195

* Poise 20 moderate regular – $1,196

Individually, those prices may not seem expensive or difficult. However, a single mother earning a minimum wage of $15,000 weekly or $60,000 monthly must budget to ensure she can buy that necessity. If she has a teenage daughter living with her, then having to purchase two packs of 28 feminine pads can cost her $3,640 or 6 per cent of her salary.

In addition to this inevitable need, she still has to pay for food, transportation, housing, and other personal items.

The exact expense for a person earning $250,000 monthly is 1.45 per cent of salary.

Therefore, it is four times more difficult for a woman on minimum wage to find the money to buy pads monthly.

The inaccessibility of menstrual hygiene products often results in makeshift, unhygienic replacements, and leads to poor menstrual hygiene management. Poor menstrual hygiene management is directly linked to the development of urinary tract infections, cervical cancer, and other adverse health effects. Even worse is the sad reality that many young girls get involved in transactional sex to be able to afford personal hygiene and menstrual products.

The Her Flow Foundation in Jamaica is a social enterprise created by Shelly-Ann Weeks that addresses the stigma and shame associated with menstruation and shares vital information on female reproductive health and ending period poverty. Their drive to end period poverty has been in over 300 schools, government homes, community organisations, and clinics, and they have donated close to 7.2 million period products.

Yet, it is not only financial constraints that have contributed to period poverty; duty and taxes on menstrual supplies also exacerbate the issue.

Legislation was created in the European Union to allow its member states to apply super-discounted tax rates to feminine hygiene products. The UK, France, Cyprus, Lithuania, Poland, and the Czech Republic reduced their taxes to 5 per cent for period supplies. Germany, which was previously 19 percent, cut its to 7 per cent. Ireland, Australia, Canada, South Africa, India, Colombia, Rwanda, and others have abolished sales tax on sanitary napkins and tampons.

Notwithstanding these developments, the lack of sales tax does not necessarily translate into affordable sanitary products for many of the population. In many nations, high import levies pose additional barriers to affordability if no nationally made products exist. Activists have pointed out that programmes that give out free products to women in need would be more effective and could be funded by a (small) sales tax paid by those who can afford to shop for the products. (Statista)

For example, in Sri Lanka, the current import tariffs levied on these products is 62.6 per cent. Scotland is the first country to end period poverty by offering period products free of charge nationally. On August 15, 2022, the Period Products (Free Provision) came into force. The Act ensures reasonably convenient access to period products, free of charge, as and when they are required to anyone who needs them. The Scottish Government believes accessing period products is fundamental to equality and dignity. I agree wholeheartedly.

Several other countries worldwide distribute free sanitary napkins to schoolgirls, for example, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, and New Zealand.

In Jamaica, the duty rate on sanitary towels and tampons is 20 per cent. However, no General Consumption Tax (GCT) is charged.

I believe that the Government’s main objectives are to ensure its citizens’ safety and security, provide economic opportunity, and, most importantly, ensure the dignity of the most vulnerable in our society.

Those living at the lowest pay scale should be able to live with dignity. If we cannot increase the national minimum wage we should reduce or remove the taxes and tariffs on necessities wherever possible. Sanitary napkins would certainly fall within that category and would benefit all women in our society. I cannot believe that the 20 per cent tax the Government imposes on this item is more beneficial to society than allowing the majority of women to operate with a sense of dignity.

Let’s remove the import tariffs or duties on this commodity and other basic essentials that the population must consume. Maybe we can increase the taxes on Viagra to supplement the loss of revenue? Alternatively, we can use the duty to provide free packs of feminine napkins to our girls in our schools.

Close to 50 per cent of our population are female, close to 50 per cent of our households are headed by women, and, remarkably, close to 60 per cent of managers in Jamaica are female. Yet, the cost of being female is still exceptionally high.

Amid the Parliament having the highest percentage of women in its history, I continue to feel like I’m wandering in a house of darkness looking for the switch of support on many of these issues.

Ending period poverty in Jamaica is a policy and budget issue. I will be lobbying to remove the duty on sanitary napkins, pads, tampons, and all related products which are needed to support the menstrual cycle.