4 million women are affected by period poverty, according to one study

4 million. This is the number of menstruating women in France affected by menstrual insecurity in 2023. The Rules Elementary association is sounding the alarm: almost one in three menstruating women encounters financial difficulties in obtaining sufficient periodic protection to protect themselves adequately.

Young people on the front lines

Not surprisingly, it is the youngest and single mothers who are the first to suffer. According to the study, 1.7 million are in a situation of menstrual insecurity.

Almost a young French woman (18-24 years old) in two struggles to get periodic protection every month. And among them, 330,000 young women regularly lack access to the health protection they need..

Inflation doesn’t help

While the year 2022 recorded inflation of 5.2% according to INSEE, the price of periodic protection continues to rise. As a result, 1.2 million people say they fear experiencing period poverty in the next 12 months.

Furthermore, the study reveals that almost a quarter of menstruating women between the ages of 18 and 50 had to give up buying periodic protection at least once a year, for economic reasons. Among the women who were able to access health protection, 13% had to give up other basic necessities.

A public health and equality emergency

The sample examined does not include menstruating and/or non-binary trans people. According to the association, this is due to the lack of ” representative database of the number of menstruating trans and/or non-binary people in France “. Menstrual insecurity is therefore likely to affect an even larger share of the population.

The elementary rule is categorical. It’s urgent :

Menstrual poverty has real consequences in the lives of millions of people: serious physical ailments (itching, infections, toxic shock syndrome which can lead to death) but also psychological ailments (loss of self-confidence and social repercussions – inability to go to work or study in particular). Even today, having a period is synonymous with inequality. Anyone who is on period should never be limited in their daily life and in their field of possibilities.

March 8 press release

However, in France, the government is struggling to take matters into their own hands. And it doesn’t fail to see the example of its European neighbors: in 2021 the Scottish government introduced free protection. The results are there: almost 8 out of 10 people feel more comfortable in carrying out their daily activities and are less worried when they have their period. While Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced the reimbursement of reusable periodic protection for under-25s from 2024 on Monday 6 March, when will real measures be taken to ensure better access to protection for all people who need it?