Period Poverty

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (16:15): I move:

That this council—

1. Notes the findings of Share the Dignity’s Period Pride Report: Bloody Big Survey Findings in which 17 per cent of participants in South Australia in 2021 faced period poverty;

2. Acknowledges that access to period products and menstrual education is essential in ensuring the full and equal participation of women, girls, and others who menstruate, in school life and in society;

3. Recognises that financial pressure impacts the ability to hygienically, comfortably and confidently manage periods especially for those already at greater risk of being unable to afford basic essentials like tampons and pads; and

4. Notes the commitment of the state government to pursue strategies to address the issue of period poverty and encourages the state government to continue to work with community organisations involved in the area.

Last Sunday, the world celebrated Menstrual Hygiene Day. This annual awareness day aims to break menstrual taboos and raise awareness of the importance of menstrual hygiene management. I have spoken about this topic a number of times in this chamber, many times alongside my parliamentary colleague the Hon. Connie Bonaros. This is in the hope of normalising the discussion of menstruation in public life, which would ordinarily be clouded by shame and stigma.

This in turn impacts upon and prevents progress towards eradicating period poverty. Lack of access to menstrual products and adequate menstrual health education is a pressing concern that demands our attention and our action, especially when considering the impact this has on the wellbeing, participation and school attendance of children and young people.

We already know from the initial report by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in 2019, titled Leave No One Behind, that period poverty is a problem in South Australia. Period poverty significantly impacts everyday tasks and events for children and young people, with the report finding that 26 per cent of students surveyed reported missing out on attending school due to not having period products and 51 per cent of students surveyed expressed that they did not have access to products or they did not know how to access period products at school.

A further report by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in 2021, titled Menstruation Matters, explained this research and revealed that, of those 3,267 responses, one in four children and young people reported experiencing problems getting period products when they needed them. This was for reasons such as cost, lack of knowledge, shame associated with buying products or a reliance on others for support. These barriers were found to affect students' ability to participate in schoolwork, sport and other physical activity. Furthermore, a lack of adequate bathroom and disposal facilities, limited access to pain relief and a lack of information added to the erosion of menstrual wellbeing.

More recently, a preliminary study was done by Queensland University of Technology and Share the Dignity, a women's charity in Australia that advocates for menstrual health. These findings reiterated the commissioner's report in highlighting the impact of period poverty on young people. Key results from this preliminary study found that in 2023, cost was the biggest barrier for high school students to use the right products for their period, 12.6 per cent of high school students had difficulty buying period products every month and 37 per cent of high school students sometimes had to make do with tissue, cloth or paper instead of using sanitary products because of their cost. Hygiene was also impacted, with 21 per cent of high school students often wearing a tampon or pad for more than the recommended four hours.

The issue of period poverty does not just end once a girl finishes school. For many girls and women, periods are a constant part of life and it is something we have to live with every month for decades. Share the Dignity supplies sanitary products for those in need. In 2021, the charity released a report entitled Period Pride: Bloody Big Survey Findings, which sought to understand the ways that people manage their periods. This was the largest survey of its kind, with more than 125,000  participants. Of those participants from South Australia, 17 per cent have been unable to afford period products at some point in their life.

The survey also revealed some distressing ways people were dealing with period poverty, with 42 per cent of respondents, or 52,185 people, finding it difficult to buy period products because of the cost. Forty per cent of respondents had chosen a less suitable product due to cost, 49 per cent had worn a tampon or a pad for more than four hours because they had run out, and 22 per cent had to improvise on period products altogether, using socks, cloth or toilet paper as makeshift pads due to cost.

These alternatives are not merely an inconvenience for those facing period poverty, they pose a danger to health, wellbeing and dignity. Such items are unreliable, difficult to dispose of and uncomfortable. Inadequate substitutions can lead to infections like toxic shock syndrome, reproductive health issues and other physical complications, as well as cause mental distress and distraction. Many girls and women may instead disengage from their day-to-day lives and remove themselves from everyday activities to avoid feelings of discomfort, frustration and vulnerability.

From all these surveys, it is clear that period poverty and menstrual health is crucial when considering the already well-established gender disparities in the participation of women in employment, education, sports and other social activities. With young girls missing out on school, women taking days off from study and work, social isolation due to shame and stigma, and difficulty accessing menstruation pain management medication, it is no surprise that gender disparities in all areas still exists where period poverty remains.

Providing access to affordable and sustainable menstrual products can help break the chains of period poverty, enabling girls to attend school regularly and women to participate fully in the workforce. Period poverty also disproportionately impacts those already at greater risk of not being able to afford basic essentials like pads and tampons. Indigenous women, low income women, disabled women and LGBTQ+ women may face higher levels of period poverty. With the current cost-of-living crisis, the number of people who are unable to comfortably afford the rising cost of menstrual products grows by the day.

Plan International Australia found that 57 per cent of people reported it was more difficult to pay for pads, tampons and reusable sanitary products in 2022 than in previous years. Those in remote and rural areas face additional barriers, where products are reported to cost vastly more than in the cities. Accessing menstrual pain management comes with additional systemic barriers. As the chief executive of Plan International Australia states, and I quote:

It's a fixed cost for women and girls that you can't avoid, so you're very beholden to the market in that way.

It is hard to believe that in Australia in 2023 we continue to have women and girls facing period poverty and indignities for a process that is as natural as any other biological process. Menstrual products should be supplied for free in public spaces, just as toilet paper and hand soap are. When over half the population require them, they are as critical as toilet paper and should be treated in the same way.

A period is not a choice. It is not something that people who menstruate can simply opt out of whenever they want. It is shameful to have even one case where a person must choose between buying food and buying the menstrual products they need to hygienically manage their periods. To address period poverty, we must adopt a multifaceted approach. Firstly, we must ensure that menstrual products are available free of charge in public spaces, such as schools, universities, community centres and shelters. By removing the financial barrier, we can ensure the dignity and wellbeing of those affected by period poverty.

Secondly, we need to implement comprehensive menstrual health education programs in schools and foster a culture of openness and understanding. Education plays a crucial role in dispelling myths and taboos surrounding menstruation. It empowers individuals to make informed choices about their reproductive health. We must normalise conversations about periods, destigmatise menstruation and promote inclusivity in all aspects of society.

Thirdly, we should work with and support non-profit organisations and community groups. Share the Dignity has done incredible work in this regard, but the onus must not be on volunteers to deliver these products. The South Australian government has taken some great steps towards eliminating period poverty. Their initiative providing free pads and tampons to children and young people in every public school is vital in ensuring that children are not missing school because they cannot access sanitary items.

I am also glad to hear that category of disadvantage 1 to 3 schools, the most disadvantaged, will be receiving additional funding on top of existing funding and that schools are providing positive feedback about this initiative. While this is a step in the right direction, my dream is that all girls and women in our state have access to free menstrual products in order to manage their menstrual cycles with dignity.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. H.M. Girolamo.