What does this term mean?
Period Poverty means to not be able to afford period products, products that are necessary once a month. The average woman spends 2,535 days menstruating- almost 7 years of their life, that is an expense that you can’t escape. In the UK 1 in 10 of girls have been unable to afford period products and 1 in 5 have changed to less suitable products due to the cost. Lack of the products often forces people to use toilet roll, tissues, newspapers, socks, etc. as a substitute.
Poverty is a complicated issue, it is not only lack of money for food, period products or accommodation but it also is discrimination and separation from the society. Women tend to be people who manage finances of the family, even if they are not the main providers for the household. That often results in them understating their own needs and so period products rarely take priority. The shame associated with period combined with the shame associated with poverty makes it especially hard to ask for help in this area.