For many individuals, the necessities of survival during the pandemic most probably will range from hand sanitizers and masks to clean water and soap. Although these are very important items to reduce the risk of contamination and help maintain personal hygiene, what most people forget is that menstrual hygiene does not go away during a worldwide pandemic. Nearly 30% of women in the Pacific stated that period products were hard to obtain during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is due to several reasons—one being that menstrual hygiene products have become more expensive that not every girl is able to afford the price. Another reason is that schools that distribute pads, tampons and other period products have closed down, leaving many girls empty-handed.
According to UNICEF, menstrual hygiene management is defined as the usage of clean menstrual products as well as the access to safe facilities to dispose of used products. Women and adolescent girls in third world countries face the most trouble with accessing sanitary pads and having a convenient facility to dispose of it. During the pandemic, these struggles have been exasperated as many small stores have closed down as well as schools that provide both sex education and sanitary products. For women with disabilities, access to menstrual products has been even more difficult as they may be at greater risk for the contamination of COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines make it hard to go with another individual to the store.
We are so fortunate to have access to nearby pharmacies and wholesale stores to purchase affordable menstrual hygiene products. Many adolescent women do not have access to such luxuries, especially during this time. However, there are plenty of ways to help. For instance, you can donate sanitary pads and tampons, make a monetary donation to provide enough products to a girl for a certain amount of time, volunteer virtually to educate young girls about menstruation or provide a menstruation kit for girls in third world countries.
To answer the title of this article, yes, the pandemic has negatively impacted menstrual hygiene management. A majority of women in third world countries do not have access to sanitary menstrual products because nearby businesses have shut down, and so have schools which provide both period products and education regarding the reproductive system. The pandemic has not only affected the amount of toilet paper or wipes available at our local Costco, but it has also impacted much greater things as well. If you have any remaining sanitary pads or tampons, please consider donating it to a non-profit organization that supplies to third world countries. Days for Girls International is a non-profit organization that strives to provide people with access to clean and sustainable menstrual products. Their website has a lot of information about how to get involved even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every small action counts, so if you have any free time, then I definitely recommend reading more about menstrual hygiene management and ways to get involved with Days for Girls International.