If period products were free, it would transform hundreds of millions of girls’ and women’s lives.
The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women is back with an all-new season. This time, all our stories are about something that has been getting a lot of media attention lately: girls. What do they really need to succeed right now? And how can we work with them to get there?
For this first episode, we focus on an often hidden aspect of girls’ economic lives that has a significant impact: period products. According to the World Bank, as many as 500 million people every month lack access to menstrual products or facilities. This cuts across all countries, including big pockets of the United States and the United Kingdom.
The inability to afford period products is often called “period poverty.” Not only does period poverty make many girls’ lives harder; it also affects their ability to stay in school. Many miss school days during their period, and it can contribute to them leaving entirely. In India, for example, around 23 million girls drop out of school every year because they do not have a bathroom at school where they feel comfortable managing their period.
On today’s show, we look at solutions to period poverty and how truly transformational they would be for girls. First, reporter Elna Schutz talks to activists who have successfully advocated for affordable period products in South Africa, including students. Then host Reena Ninan speaks with Sia Towo, director of the nonprofit Femme International, about how to end period poverty. Her organization offers menstrual health education, conducts research, and distributes period products in East Africa.
About The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO):
Could empowering women in the workplace be the simplest way to boost the global economy? Host Reena Ninan talks to women around the world changing the status quo in surprising ways to improve their lives, their families, and ultimately, the world. The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HER♀) is a Foreign Policy podcast supported in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
HER♀ listeners can learn more about these topics by signing up for special access to an FP Analytics policy brief on gender equality. Sign up by clicking here.
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Select Awards for HERO:
- 2023 Signal Award; Silver; Public Service, Activism & Social Impact; Individual Episode
- Runner up for 2022 International Women’s Podcast Awards
