In Haiti, it is difficult for young girls to have good menstrual hygiene due to the lack of access to sanitary pads. Indeed, prices have risen sharply, as has the unemployment rate, a consequence of the serious economic crisis in which the country is plunged. Young girls are forced to review the use of sanitary napkins for lack of money to buy them.
Francesca is a student at the State University of Haiti. The sanitary napkins she uses sell for up to 400 gourdes, the equivalent of 2.64 euros. Normally, she uses between 3 to 4 pads daily. But with the rise in prices, the young woman reduced her consumption to two towels a day.
” I’m working. But between work and studies, you have to make a choice. So, I decided to work less so I could focus on my studies. And when you work less, it’s sure that your salary suffers. So, because of the price increase and the little money I get, I am forced to reduce the use of sanitary napkins “says Francesca.
Like other young girls in the Haitian capital who wanted to remain anonymous, Francesca asks the health authorities to address the lack of access to sanitary pads.
” This will still have consequences on our health as women, because it can cause diseases. I think the Ministry of Public Health, for example, should think about ways to get a reduction in the price of towels says another woman.
To cope with this situation, some young girls use homemade cloths, which are, moreover, strongly recommended by gynecologists in Haiti.
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