Menstruation Matters
Providing free menstrual products for those who experience period poverty within South Yorkshire
About Menstruation Matters
Thanks to monetary and physical donations we are able to provide free menstrual products such as pads, tampons, pantyliners, menstrual cups and re-usable pads to local organisations within South Yorkshire. We also provide educational pamphlets on menstruation and different forms of period protection, enabling menstruators to make informed choices.
Who & How We Help?
Originally we supported women across South Yorkshire who are primarily from BAMER (Black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee) communities and are fleeing sexual or domestic abuse such as forced marriage, honour-based violence, female genital mutilation and sex trafficking. Since 2019 we have extended our support to all menstruators, including young adults such as school leavers and food banks within Sheffield.
The people we support are experiencing “period poverty” or “period inequity”, which is when someone who menstruates is unable to afford menstrual protection due to financial constraints or has reduced access to such items. Instead they may use items such as socks, rags, newspaper and toilet roll to stop the bleeding, or change period protection less often, which can cause gynaecological or urinary infections. In our study, we found that 73% of BAMER women sampled in our local community struggled to afford sanitary products on a monthly basis, 67% change protection less often and 62% used unconventional items.
“Menstruation Matters was founded in 2018 as a social accountability project. Since then it has developed into a UK-registered charity composed of university students, junior doctors and young professionals working together for a single purpose; to combat period poverty!” – FOUNDER
