Period poverty: Women in Eastern Europe work three times harder for feminine hygiene products

The cost of menstrual products is an aspect that is rarely considered by public policies aimed at reducing poverty. So-called "period poverty" is another facet of what it means to be a woman and poor. Costs vary greatly, but it is important to relate the price of products to the minimum net wage.

At an average cost of 42 lei (8.4 euros^[1]) per month for menstrual products, a woman in Romania earning the minimum wage has to work over 3 hours, while a British woman has to work 18 minutes for the same products. In Western countries such as Ireland, France, Spain, or Belgium, less than an hour of work is needed for the same products. In Eastern Europe, only Slovakia and Poland have a similar situation, with approximately one hour of work on minimum wage to purchase menstrual products for one month. The most disadvantaged are women in the Republic of Moldova and Albania, who have to work 5 hours and 42 minutes and 6 and a half hours, respectively, for the menstrual products they need for one month.

Over a lifetime, a woman in Romania working on the minimum wage spends the equivalent of more than 8 minimum net wages on menstrual products, while a British woman spends less than 1 minimum net wage.

The cost of menstrual products is influenced by several factors, including taxation and/or subsidies. According to Directive 2006/112/EC^[2] on value added tax (VAT), EU countries must have a minimum VAT rate of 15% on all products, with a few exceptions for essential products in Annex III^[3] that can be taxed between 0-5%, but menstrual products are not on the list. In the UK, there are examples of measures to reduce period poverty. For example, Scotland has become the first region in the world where menstrual products will be free by law from 2022*. Local and educational authorities are required to make menstrual products available to residents without any preconditions, such as filling out a form or providing proof of income. Furthermore, with Brexit, the UK has reduced VAT on menstrual products to 0%.

Period poverty is a public health issue that requires the long-term involvement of the relevant institutions. This is not limited to measures to increase access to menstrual products and improve sex education among the population, but also to actions to reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation. Although NGOs provide essential help, they cannot compensate for the lack of involvement on the part of public authorities. In Romania, there is a need for concrete public policies that primarily address the taxation and/or subsidization of menstrual products (pads, tampons, etc.), but also pain relief medications such as ibuprofen, menstrual and sex education programs for young people, and communication campaigns to dismantle the stigma surrounding menstruation.

*In 2018, Scotland became the first region in the world to provide free menstrual products in educational institutions.

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Data processing and text design: Maria-Luiza Apostolescu

Infographic: Pascalone Media SRL

[1] Source: https://www.womenofwearables.com/blogwrite/the-cost-of-having-your-period-in-every-country-and-state

[2] Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/RO/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32006L0112

[3] Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32006L0112#d1e32-69-1