Poland has seen a significant rise in living standards in the last 20 years, with GDP per capita doubling since 2005. However, period poverty in Poland remains a significant issue.

Period poverty is when women lack adequate access to the quantity or quality of menstrual hygiene products. Many have criticized health care for women in Poland in recent years, not only for the abortion ban but also for poor levels of gynaecological care, a lack of funding from the national health fund and difficult access to contraception. Women’s health remains a taboo issue within Poland, with 41% of Polish women reporting that menstruation was never discussed in the family home.

The Kulczyk Foundation’s Period Study

In 2020, the Kulczyk Foundation conducted a large-scale survey on young girls and attitudes toward periods within Poland. This revealed shocking levels of menstrual shame and demonstrated high levels of period poverty. The study found that 21% of schoolgirls leave school due to a lack of access to menstrual products and that one-fifth of Polish women struggle to buy appropriate menstrual products. It also revealed that women and girls had misconceptions surrounding periods, with 25% of women thinking it was impossible to get pregnant during their period and 22% believing women should not go to the dentist during menstruation.

4 Charities Combating Period Poverty in Poland

Here are four organizations and charities that are doing the most to combat period poverty in Poland.

1. The Różowa Skrzyneczka (Pink Box) Foundation. The Pink Box foundation aims to alleviate period poverty in Poland and reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation. This programme directly counteracts menstrual poverty through publicly available boxes containing free pads and tampons. Public spaces such as libraries, parks, transport hubs and schools are used to host these boxes. So far, major cities including Rzeszów, Sopot, Gdańsk and Łódź have implemented them.
2. Menstruation Action. Menstruation Action aims to combat misconceptions about periods and provide access to period products for schoolgirls. Early efforts by Menstruation Action involve the purchasing and distribution of 1,000 menstrual cups for those most affected by period poverty in Poland, including single mothers, those in refugee centres and orphanages. In September 2020, the “Hey Girls” campaign launched, in which they provided boxes filled with essential sanitary products to schools and organized classes on menstruation for schoolgirls. More recent initiatives include the launch of “Padsharing.” Padsharing is a support network that connects women in need with donors. Through this programme, donors anonymously place and pay for orders according to the women in need’s instructions. Menstruation Action also introduced the “Heyday” initiative in July 2021 to create the first dedicated menstrual dispensers in Poland. The idea behind this project was so that companies and institutions that would like to introduce menstrual products into their toilets can do so despite lacking the resources to do so. They also provide “period help points” across Kraków, containing free sanitary products.
3. Yestopads.com. Yestopads is a result of the Periodic Coalition, an association of charities, organizations and female experts who want to normalise and destigmatise female menstruation. The coalition consists of more than 40 partners and supporters, aiming to help the nearly 2 million girls aged 9–19 who are either menstruating or about to menstruate. They are currently attempting to introduce the first draft act on menstruation to ensure free access to menstrual products and provide girls with adequate education on menstruation.
4. Gohealthygirl. Gohealthygirl operates a “pink clinic.” This is a safe space in which women and girls can see a doctor for any gynaecological reason without judgment. Studies performed by this organization have revealed that women experience unpleasant comments about appearance, knowledge and sexual orientation, and many often experience poor treatment from doctors. They also provide free health guides, podcasts and articles online on women’s health to provide women and girls with accessible education about their bodies.

Looking Ahead

Despite period poverty remaining a significant issue for women and girls in Poland, the work of these organizations suggests a positive direction for removing the stigma surrounding menstruation and the reduction of period poverty in Poland.

– Alys Gaze

Alys is based in Swansea, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr