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Nearly four million women aged 18 to 50 face menstrual poverty in France, a figure which has doubled in just two years. Faced with this observation, the Règles Elémentaires association, in partnership with the Women’s Foundation, is renewing its large national collection of periodic protection, on December 15 and 16, aimed at the most vulnerable women.
Despite free periodic protection for students, implemented in 2021, the number of menstruating women aged 18 to 50 affected by menstrual poverty has doubled in just two years, as revealed a survey led by OpinionWay for the association Basic Rules, made public last March. In total, no less than four million women would face it in France, and the rise in the cost of living could cause this figure to skyrocket (1.2 million additional women) by the end of the year. An observation that the association intends to fight against through its major national collection “Rules of Survival”.
In partnership with the Women’s Foundation and Monoprix, Règles Elémentaires will collect, on December 15 and 16, 2023, menstrual protection, namely napkins, tampons, or even menstrual cups, as well as intimate hygiene products, including gels. cleaners and wipes, in many French cities. A hundred stores of the brand will participate in the operation to allow the most vulnerable women to benefit from these essential products on a daily basis.
“The products collected will then be redistributed to local associations which work with the most vulnerable women in the context of marauding, providing accommodation, or in reception structures for women victims of gender-based and sexual violence.“, underlines the Règles Elémentaires association in a press release. It also specifies that more than 500,000 periodical products were collected during the 2022 edition of this national collection.
Last March, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the upcoming reimbursement by social security of reusable periodic protection for women aged 25 and under. A measure which should be applied during the year 2024, but which certain associations have already deemed insufficient.
Menstrual poverty is a reality that affects too many women.
It’s an everyday injustice.From 2024, reusable periodic protection will be reimbursed by social security for women aged 25 and under. pic.twitter.com/ouTqqbG7xz
— Élisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) March 6, 2023
According to a report by the NGO Plan International, more than 500 million girls and women around the world are in a situation of menstrual poverty. In other words, one in four menstruating girls or women cannot access products and equipment considered essential.