Breaking the silence over the state of Period Poverty in Sri Lanka: Challenges and the Path Forward

In Sri Lanka, females make up 51% of the population yet period poverty remains a challenging issue for the majority of women. Data shows that Sri Lanka’s period poverty level is high ; unhealthy habits passed down from each generation, coupled with a lack of awareness about sanitary napkins and how to use them are among key criteria for the current status.

Research further confirms that 70% of Sri Lankan women do not use sanitary napkins during menstruation while 53.7% of the young girls only found out about menstruation when they got their first period. As per a UNICEF study, 60% of Sri Lankan parents do not send their daughters to school during menstruation which results in loss of study days. Further, 80% of teachers thought that bathing during menstruation was taboo.

Data also shows that 85% of young girls believe that they cannot get pregnant before the first period and a further 75% were of the view that menstrual blood was ‘polluted.”

All these factors confirm that despite economic and social progress, Sri Lanka has a long way to go in breaking down period poverty awareness which means that Sri Lankan women and girls continue to face significant barriers to managing their menstruation with dignity.

Understanding Period Poverty

Period poverty is more than just a lack of sanitary products; it encompasses a lot more. Identified key issues are a lack of menstrual education, unhealthy habits that pass from one generation to the next, not having access to clean water, inability to disposal of sanitary products and financial constraints. In Sri Lanka, this multifaceted issue affects women and girls, particularly those in low-income and rural areas, leading to numerous social, economic, and health challenges.

The Impact of Period Poverty

As the data clearly indicates, period poverty impacts everyday lives of females while creating significant health complications. These can be categorized as follows.

• Reporting sick days at work – Fixed income earners suffer from not being able to properly manage their periods and as a result, their income can suffer as well as their efficiency at work.

• Educational Disruption: Most girls from rural areas of Sri Lanka are forced to miss school during menstruation either due to parental pressure or lack of access to sanitary napkins and or alternate solutions such as cloth. This absenteeism can lead to significant gaps in their education, affecting their academic performance and future opportunities.

• Health Risks: Using alternatives like old cloth takes place mostly due to a lack of awareness about sanitary napkins although they are freely available. Sometimes it happens as a result of habit. This can lead to severe health issues, including infections and reproductive health problems and eventually, risk cervical cancer which is known as Sri Lanka’s second most prevalent form of cancer. If cloth is used then it must be washed thoroughly and left to dry in the hot sun for the germs to be destroyed with natural sunlight. Very often, due to a sense of shame, women do not dry their washed cloth in the sun, instead opting to let it dry inside the house or the toilet. Without being exposed to sunlight, the cloth will not be rid of the germs it has been exposed to even though it has been washed.

• Social Stigma and Discrimination: Cultural taboos and myths surrounding menstruation aggravate the challenges faced by menstruating women and girls. They are often subjected to shame and isolation, impacting their mental well-being and social interactions. Further, they do not always feel comfortable talking about menstruation and or the issues that arise from it.

• Lack of awareness about Menstruation: Lack of awareness about how menstruation brings mental and physical changes often results in poor hygiene and nutritional habits that can be damaging for life.

Period Poverty: What Can be Done –

• Comprehensive Menstrual Education: Consistent and continuous awareness of menstruation best practices among communities across Sri Lanka. Parents can educate their daughters about dealing properly with menstruation while schools can enhance knowledge sharing among their female students on how periods can be better managed.

• Improving menstruation hygiene facilities –  Schools, workplaces, and public places can be equipped with adequate menstrual hygiene facilities, including clean toilets, running water, and disposal systems for sanitary products. Ensuring these facilities are available and well-maintained is crucial.

• Community Engagement and Awareness: By involving the community and local organizations, we can challenge stigmas and encourage open discussions about the importance of managing menstruation successfully.

• Supply of sanitary napkins: Setting up of sanitary napkin supplies in common areas such as offices and schools for easy access.

HER Foundation sponsored by Fems has taken leadership in taking these issue of period poverty to the community, empowering and engaging with communities everywhere, empowering women and girls in Sri Lanka with knowledge and awareness.

Add your voice to ours – together, we can work towards eradicating period poverty in Sri Lanka

Visit HER Foundation Website – https://herfoundation.lk/