Period poverty: a silent crisis

A global crisis by the numbers 

The scale of period poverty is staggering, and it’s playing out in high, middle and low-income nations. Across the world, more than 500 million people who menstruate do not have suitable access to menstrual products or hygiene facilities. For millions of girls and women, these products are prohibitively expensive, partly due to what is often referred to as the “pink tax”, where menstrual items have historically been classified and taxed as luxury goods, despite being as essential as food or medicine. Too often, this forces an impossible choice between paying for food or rent, and managing a period safely and with dignity. 

At the same time, over 1.5 billion people still lack basic sanitation services, such as private toilets, and access to a safe, private space to change and clean themselves – managing a period becomes not just inconvenient, but humiliating and unsafe. 

This is a global issue, but it’s also a persistent and overlook reality for many Australians. The 2024 Bloody Big Survey by Share the Dignity found that 64 per cent of menstruators have struggled to afford period products due to cost. Students, particularly those in TAFEs and universities, are increasingly improvising with alternatives when they cannot access what they need. 

The impacts extend well beyond affordability. Nearly seven in ten respondents reported missing sport because of their period, with more than three-quarters citing fear of leaking or staining their clothes. More than half said they had missed work. These experiences are not just practical challenges, they are shaped by the stigma and shame that still surround menstruation. Alarmingly, only 36 per cent of respondents felt they were well informed about menstruation before their first period, highlighting ongoing gaps in education and support.