• FPASL Advocacy Director Sonali Gunasekera on period poverty in SL and addressing it at their ‘Period Proud’ event tomorrow (11)

Sri Lanka’s period poverty rate is 50%, according to research conducted by Advocata Institute in 2021, which translates to 50% of households with women of menstruating age not spending any amount of money on sanitary napkins. The Family Planning Association Sri Lanka (FPASL) however stated that, despite there being no research done since 2020-2021, the country’s rate of period poverty is expected to have significantly increased post-economic crisis.

In such a context, FPASL’s collaboration with the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives to host the event Period Proud is one of significance. The public event, scheduled to take place at Arcade – Independence Square tomorrow (11) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., aims to celebrate menstruation and highlight the negative consequences of period poverty.

Sharing more details about the event as well as how big a problem period poverty is in Sri Lanka was FPASL Advocacy Director Sonali Gunasekera, who explained that FPASL’s advocacy work includes advocating for changes in the legislation concerning, for example, LGBTIQ+ rights, abortion, and the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA); conducting research and knowledge-sharing on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR); changing norms and values that hinder the empowerment of vulnerable communities; and conducting pilot projects to enhance knowledge on SRHR issues.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

What kind of work does FPASL do in Sri Lanka?

FPASL works on issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We are a civil society organisation that champions sexual health and rights for all, especially marginalised groups. FPASL explores the innovative and challenging process of family planning in Sri Lanka. FPASL has service delivery points in Batticaloa, Ampara, Koggala, Nuwara Eliya, Avissawella, Wathupitiwala, Kilinochchi, and Colombo. The clinics offer family planning/contraceptive services, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and management, cervical and breast cancer screening, pregnancy testing, menstrual health concerns, menopause, and advice for other sexual and reproductive health issues.

FPASL also offers counselling services and education and information on SRHR. FPASL also works with youth to educate them on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and the right to choose and make decisions on their bodies.

FPASL will be hosting Period Proud on 11 November. What can you tell us about this event? 

FPASL in collaboration with the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives will be hosting the public event Period Proud at the Arcade – Independence Square on 11 November from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event will be graced by the Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Government representatives from the Ministry of Health (MoH), representatives from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and other international organisations.

Period poverty is defined as the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and education. It can lead to a number of negative consequences, including physical and mental health problems, school absenteeism, gender-based violence, and social isolation. 

Period Proud is an event organised by FPASL to celebrate menstruation, and to bring to the open a subject that is often not discussed in public. The event will also highlight the issues women, girls, and trans men face when they first have their periods, including the economic hardships faced due to high prices of pads which result in them not attending school, work, and other social events. 

The event will also highlight the discrimination faced by menstruating persons (women, girls, and trans men) due to cultural issues such as not being allowed to attend religious places of worship or school, not being allowed to eat certain foods, restrictions placed on girls in doing sports or meeting friends of the opposite sex, and not having clean toilets, water, and sanitation.

What can attendees expect at Period Proud? How important are events like this in getting information across?

The Period Proud event will feature stalls from organisations that are working on menstruation and period poverty. There will be a variety of creative performances, including a puppet show, bharatanatyam acts, dramas, and playback theatre, all of which will underscore the importance of the issue. 

Events like this are really important to get the message across that menstruating persons are often discriminated against because of cultural myths and that they face economic hardships that affect their freedom of movement – especially with the high tax on pads, which needs to be reconsidered given this is an essential item for half of the population.

What is period poverty and how big a problem is it in Sri Lanka? What factors contribute to it?

Period poverty is a multifaceted issue that is unfortunately still affecting menstruators today. It is not just the lack of affordable menstrual hygiene products and the taxation on these products, but also the lack of access to products, the lack of water and sanitation facilities in schools and workplaces for menstruators to change their menstrual hygiene products, the lack of safe disposal units, and the lack of education on menstrual hygiene and menstrual health. 

The immense social stigmas and discrimination surrounding menstruation further potentiates period poverty as nobody wants to talk about or address it. A policy analysis study in 2021 by Advocata found the absolute period poverty rate in Sri Lanka to be 50%. This means that 50% of households in Sri Lanka with menstruating women do not report buying menstrual pads as part of their monthly groceries. This study was conducted prior to the economic crisis, and hence this figure is expected to be higher.

Is there an unseen side to period poverty that individuals and organisations tend to overlook in their work to combat it?

Most organisations just distribute menstrual pads and think this will solve the problem, but this is just a short-term solution for a long-term problem. There needs to be an educational component to young menstruators in order to change their attitudes and practices. Most sanitary products are also not eco-friendly and there is a significant environmental impact by using disposable products. There needs to be a bigger conversation around innovation and development of better, environmentally friendly products, that are both high-quality and affordable.

Have we seen a significant rise in period poverty in Sri Lanka since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed?

Yes, we do not have any research done post-2020/2021, but with the increase in prices of raw materials and menstrual products, it is expected that the rate of period poverty will have significantly increased.

Has the FPA recognised any groups that are particularly affected by period poverty?

Women, girls, and trans men are all affected due to the fact that they menstruate. However, most women living in rural areas are affected by period poverty. It is not just the North and plantations, but even in urban areas, there are pockets of women living in poverty. Trans men are particularly affected since they have all the issues mentioned above and they are unable to go to women’s toilets to change their pads and men’s toilets may not have cubicles. Since they are part of the LGBTIQ+ community, they face discrimination based on their sexual orientation, together with their menstruation status. This is an added complication.

What kind of work does the FPASL do to combat period poverty?

FPASL has begun working on this issue with 13 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the country. A grant given by the French Embassy helped FPASL to enhance its knowledge on this subject. The NGOs working on this grant are mostly based in the North and plantation districts.  There will be programmes on capacity building, water and sanitation, social media awareness, information on menstrual hygiene products, research, and empowering women to challenge cultural norms on menstruation.

Are there any challenges or barriers in combating period poverty? How can these be overcome?

There are a number of obstacles including institutional challenges, policy/tax reform challenges, lack of standards and quality control of menstrual hygiene products, and the lack of innovative and environmentally sustainable solutions for the masses. Each of these challenges needs to be addressed collectively when offering a complete solution to period poverty.  

How important is it to consider social, cultural, religious, but also financial factors when raising awareness about menstrual hygiene products and their usage?

There are many socio-cultural and religious factors surrounding menstrual health. In order to make progress in improving menstrual hygiene and health, it is extremely important to be culturally sensitive so that there is an effective change for the better in terms of attitudes and practices. For example, introduction and education/awareness on certain menstrual hygiene products – such as the menstrual cup and tampons – require a more sensitive approach in order to increase uptake. Financial factors also do play a significant role in choice of menstrual product; it is therefore paramount to ensure high-quality options are made affordable to prevent poor menstrual hygiene and the risk of menstrual health consequences.