WOMEN SUFFER IN SILENCE
This is the source material for the episode of Feminist Fridays about menstruation and menstrual leave in Spain. Watch the episode here.
Source material:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/17/spain-paid-menstrual-leave-countries/
Here are some statistics on menstrual stigma:
According to a survey conducted by Plan International, 1 in 3 girls in South Asia knew nothing about periods prior to starting menstruation. (Source: https://plan-international.org/publications/breaking-barriers-periods-and-girls-education-south-asia)
In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 10 girls miss school during their period, and in some countries, up to 1 in 5 girls drop out altogether due to menstrual-related issues. (Source: https://www.unicef.org/wash/files/UNICEF_Guidance_Note_Menstrual_Hygiene_Management_2015.pdf)
A study by WaterAid found that in India, only 12% of girls and women have access to sanitary products. (Source: https://www.wateraid.org/publications/the-state-of-the-worlds-toilets-2016)
In Nepal, 19% of girls and women are banished to cow sheds during their period, according to a 2018 report by WaterAid. (Source: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/may/28/menstrual-misery-is-keeping-girls-out-of-school-in-nepal)
In Kenya, a study by the government found that 50% of girls and women in urban slums and 42% in rural areas cannot afford menstrual products. (Source: https://www.nation.co.ke/health/42pc-of-Kenyan-women-lack-access-to-sanitary-pads/3476990-3948360-format-xhtml-2e4tr4/index.html)
A study by the organization WaterAid found that in Indonesia, 1 in 4 girls miss school during their period, and 1 in 7 girls drops out of school altogether due to menstruation-related issues. (Source: https://www.wateraid.org/publications/the-state-of-the-worlds-toilets-2016)