Red Box Assembly
Women’s Education - Red Box Assembly 28.09.18
Period poverty is a very real challenge facing many girls in the UK. It has a devastating impact on girls’ lives, their ability to be themselves and their self-esteem. For many girls dealing with their period each month is proving a tough challenge – and in 21st century Britain, this should not be the case.
Not only do girls face the problem of affordability of feminine hygiene products but also the stigma. Despite being in 2018, where we have seen great advances in education and awareness around periods, girls still feel embarrassed by their periods.
The following statistics are from Girls’ Rights Charity Plan International UK
- One in ten girls (10 per cent) have been unable to afford sanitary wear
- One in seven girls (15 per cent) have struggled to afford sanitary wear
- One in seven girls (14 per cent) have had to ask to borrow sanitary wear from a friend due to affordability issues
- More than one in ten girls (12 per cent) have had to improvise sanitary wear due to affordability issues
- One in five (19%) of girls have changed to a less suitable sanitary product due to cost
Further statistics on taboo and stigma surrounding periods and menstruation
- Nearly half (48 per cent) of girls aged 14-21 in the UK are embarrassed by their periods
- 49 per cent of girls have missed an entire day of school because of their period, of which 59 per cent have made up a lie or an alternative excuse
- 64 per cent of girls have missed PE or Sport because of their period, of which 52 per cent of girls have made up a lie or excuse
The Red Box Project is an initiative that quietly ensures that no young woman misses out on her education because of her period. The initiative is community driven and run by individuals across the UK. The project places constantly stocked red boxes of sanitary wear in schools for young women to access, aiming to reach those who may not be able to afford these vital items.
On Friday 28th September Beth and Chrissie from The Red Box Project Tower Hamlets delivered a Girls Assembly. They talked about period poverty in the U.K, the work that they do and also delivered a Red Box full of feminine hygiene products.
Ms Rahman
Learning from Every Situation – The Bow Way
