Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1340314
13 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 FEBRUARY 2021 OPINION Rosianne Cutajar is Parliamentary Secretary for Civil Rights and Reforms THERE is more than one reason why talking openly about menstruation, also known as a period, or the monthly, should no longer be an issue. Once a teenager bleeds for the first time, we often rush to inform them they are now "adults". What we – and by we, I mean our families and schools – do not always dwell upon are the hard facts about periods: from heavy flows to cramps; mood swings to nausea; acne to sensitivity, to mention only a few. As a society, we often collectively choose to skim over the more unpleasant aspects of life. For an issue as relevant as periods, this simply cannot remain the case. I for one refuse to see women hide sanitary products as they rush to the bathroom at work, or men blush or feign disgust when the topic is discussed. Menstruation is a normal bodily process – it is high time we acknowledged it as such. This will of course require a cultural shift. To date, we are used to seeing men- struation as a 'women's problem', to be solved by women in the solitude of their bathrooms. This is as far from ideal as we can be. If we truly want periods to be the start of womanhood, then we should grasp this opportunity to teach girls how to truly engage with – and love – their bodies. In- stead, we give them pads and show them how to put them up their sleeves when they go to the bathroom. This scenario, familiar to many of us, is also a privileged one. How many women and girls, even in Malta, lack access to what are essentially basic hygiene items? The price women pay with menstruation is not just physical or social, but also eco- nomic. Could it be that families among us are struggling with these expenses? How does a girl at puberty stage, coming from a fam- ily on minimum income, manage to take care of what is a monthly expense? Period poverty is not a phenomenon to be sneezed at. Period poverty is a core issue affecting persons who menstruate, and refers to the difficulty in accessing safe, hygienic sanitary products which al- low them to manage periods with dignity. The consequences of period poverty vary, but may include missing school or work, risking considerable health issues, and feeling shame or exclusion. Of course, we cannot forget that poor menstrual hy- giene can lead to other health risks and reproductive and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Data collected in Scotland, the first country in the world to make period products freely available, shows that the monthly cost for tampons and pads can go up to around €9 each month. Statistics show that some find it difficult to meet the monthly cost, with a quarter of respond- ents on a survey carried out across educa- tional institutions in Scotland admitting they had, for economic reasons, struggled to procure period products. In the UK, 15% of school girls have had difficulty af- fording period products. In Malta, we still need to begin looking into period poverty — how big is this is- sue in Malta, and what type of related is- sues does it raise? Are there women in our country who are holding back from pur- chasing other necessities in order to afford period products? Could there be cases in which lack of access to period products is getting in the way of school attendance, and hence complicating access to educa- tion, too? We need to attend to this issue locally, and understand which are those solutions that would work best in our context, while keeping in mind those best practices or measures we know have worked effective- ly in other countries. Addressing period poverty, in my view, starts from addressing our perspectives. We need to have an open and frank dis- cussion on this basic bodily function. We need to change the disgust or discomfort into curiosity and knowledge. This is a societal issue, not a women's cause. Ma- terially, of course, I also see the need for ensuring access to the most basic products to all. Our goal here is to ensure no person is left exposed to disadvantages, economic or otherwise, owing to the simple fact that she experiences periods. Hardly a radical thought, in my view. Acting on the issue of period poverty is something I will take on with the same reformist approach that has character- ised Labour governments throughout the years, that is, by proposing practical solu- tions that are also progressive in how they impact people's lives in a real and positive way. The issue is still in its early stages locally. I am actively seeking and welcoming views from the public, experts, stakeholders, students, educators, and health and edu- cational leaders, in order to gain a better understanding of the extent of this issue. Together, then, we can shape a way for- ward. Meanwhile, in my role as Parliamentary Secretary, I am actively seeking to know your views and experiences on the matter — these will be most helpful as we shape the way forward. Safe, dignified menstruation is a right, not a luxury. Period. Let's talk about period poverty — and act on it Rosianne Cutajar We need to change the disgust or discomfort into curiosity and knowledge. This is a societal issue, not a women's cause. Materially, of course, I also see the need for ensuring access to the most basic products to all