Access to complete menstrual health and hygiene is a basic human right. Without it, women and girls cannot pursue full lives with dignity and confidence. It is deeply unfair that girls in all parts of the world miss out on better education and opportunities because they were too poor to have a period. We have neglected this issue for too long.
What’s clear, is the need to unite the international community on global standards for reducing period poverty, and better fund those programmes that deliver the highest impact for women and girls who every month have to choose between a meal or a sanitary pad.
I invite the international community to join me and work together to end period poverty.
Dominika Kulczyk, President of the Kulczyk Foundation
Research on period poverty reveals that it has been neglected for decades – there is a lack of necessary data on the most effective way to support women and girls suffering from it.
Nearly 40% of all DHL Parcel employees are women. Women also hold almost 50% of managerial positions and make up 40% of the Management Board. Our activities are more efficient compared to a homogeneous environment. Diversity translates into financial performance’, said Agnieszka Świerszcz, CEO of DHL Parcel Polska, in an interview with WP. Her company takes part in the ‘Career Cycle’ programme.
We have learnt the assumptions of the first menstruation act in the history of Poland. The project has been launched by the Periodic Coalition. MPs from the Civic Coalition, PSL and the Left support it. – We are from different options, but we all support this initiative. We will do everything to make this project come into force. We are with you, said MP Marzena Okła- Drewnowicz . The act is to introduce free hygiene sanitary products and education on menstrual health in all Polish schools.
‘Providing access to hygiene products directly in the company’s restroom is a performance enhancing measure. It is something we do with health – especially mental health – in mind but also a token of respect for working women’, said Monika Jurczyk, Head of HR at Fabryka Plastików Kwidzyn, part of the French PVL-Plastivaloire Group.
Women would be too ashamed to take the issue of menstruation and related labour rights to court. Women simply don’t menstruate – this is the general public’s perception of the issue.