Feminine Flow: Celebrating Menstrual Health as a Human Right
To honor women’s day let’s discuss menstrual health as a human right. In a world where
basic necessities are often taken for granted, millions of individuals continue to face a
monthly challenge that shouldn’t be this challenging: lack of access to menstrual products and
education. The time has come to reframe our collective understanding that menstrual health
isn’t a luxury or privilege; it’s a fundamental human right that deserves our immediate
attention and action.
Statistics show that globally, about 500 million women lack access to adequate menstrual
products and facilities. In the United States alone, one in five students has reported missing
school due to lack of period supplies. These numbers reflect not just material scarcity but a
social injustice that has remained continues to be a problem.
For far too long, period products have been categorized as “non-essential” items, subject to
taxes in many regions and priced out of reach for vulnerable populations. This reality creates
a multitude of problems: missed school days, workplace absences, and health risks when
unsafe alternatives are used out of necessity or used for longer periods. The economic impact
is substantial. Studies show that over a lifetime, menstruating individuals spend thousands of
dollars on period products, creating a financial burden that falls disproportionately on those
already economically marginalized.
The concept of “period poverty” extends beyond the inability to afford menstrual products. It
encompasses the lack of education, stigma, and silence surrounding menstruation that
permeates cultures worldwide. When we examine this issue through a human rights lens, we
can understand how this relates with the right to education, health, dignity, and equality.
However, the taboo subject surrounding menstruation has deep historical roots across diverse
cultural contexts, often viewed through misogynistic beliefs about impurity and shame.
These stigmas manifest in harmful practices: segregation during menstruation, restrictions on
activities, and even complete social isolation in some communities. Researchers have
documented the relationship between menstrual stigma and decreased self-esteem, increased
anxiety, and mental health outcomes.
Policy Changes Needed
Ensuring universal access to menstrual products requires systemic change at multiple levels.
First, we need elimination of the “tampon tax”, the sales tax applied to menstrual products
that categorizes them as luxury items rather than necessities. One change that has been
influential but is the free menstrual products accessible in public washrooms, although this is
not in every washroom it is a start. Schools must be equipped with free menstrual products in
all restrooms. When young people miss educational opportunities due to period poverty, we
stay in the cycle of low economic groups and affect their ability to succeed in life. A 2021
study found that schools providing free period products saw attendance increases of up to 6%
among menstruating students.
Similarly, shelters, prisons, detention centers, and other facilities housing vulnerable
populations must provide adequate menstrual supplies as a basic standard of care. Institutions
such as the ones listed are the ones that often go unaddressed and lack the most care. It is
important to note that even prisoners have human rights and due to the lack of menstrual
products for women, this constitutes a violation of fundamental human dignity and may
demonstrate cruel and unusual punishment under international human rights codes.
Besides access to menstrual products, education and knowledge is also essential and be
mandatory in the school curriculum for all genders. When we normalize these conversations
early, we break the stigma that has impacted many generations, this also allows us to create a
space where young people feel comfortable to share their experiences and ask questions.
The Path Forward
Although there have been many strategies to implement and increase the amount of women
who have access to our work, it is not yet done. As we work toward policy change, grassroots
activism continues to fill gaps. Community-based distribution programs, mutual aid
networks, and advocacy campaigns are making differences while pushing for systemic
solutions through collaboration and equal efforts. These efforts deserve recognition and
support. Organizations like ourselves, Period, The Pad Project, and Days for Girls have
utilized volunteers worldwide to distribute products, advocate for policy change, and
dismantle stigma through education.
Companies producing menstrual products can implement pricing strategies that make
products more accessible, develop sustainable options, and partner with distribution programs
to reach underserved and marginalized communities. Some companies have even adopted the
“buy one, give one” initiatives that help bridge access gaps while building sustainable
business practices.
Understanding menstrual health as a human right movement isn’t just about pads and
tampons, it’s about breaking down the systems that have constructed these ideologies around
certain bodies as less than. It’s about recognizing that menstrual health is intersected with
environmental justice, economic opportunity, and human dignity. This movement connects to
broader struggles for gender equality, with menstrual equity advocates and researchers
addressing how period poverty reflects and reinforces gender-based discrimination in
economic, social, and political spheres.
International human rights frameworks continue to recognize menstrual health as falling
within the scope of established rights to health, education, dignity, and non-discrimination.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to gender
equality, health, and education, provide an outline for advancing menstrual equity worldwide.
Remember change begins with us, as we continue to celebrate menstrual health as a human
right, we commit to creating a world where no one faces barriers to adequate health and basic
necessities. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but with persistent advocacy and policy
change, we can create a future where period poverty decreases. Every step toward menstrual
equity represents progress not just for those who menstruate, but for our collective humanity
and commitment to a more just world. Women’s day isn’t just on March 8th but it’s everyday,
everyday that we advocate for a better future today, gives us a brighter future for tomorrow.
Author: Kimora Lee Harris-Taylor
Kimora Lee is a dedicated advocate for youth justice, holding a degree in criminology from
York University and pursuing her paralegal certification at Oakland University in Michigan.
She founded YouthUnlocked, a non profit organization that supports racialized and
marginalized youth 16-29 who are navigating the justice system, transitioning or at risk youth
with the necessary resources to strive. Through her role as a mentor to young girls 7-17, a
researcher, and youth leader she is committed to creating change in young people’s lives and
advocating for social justice reform.
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