According to the United Nations Population Fund, there are around 800 million people that menstruate every single day. For many , their health, hygienic needs, and other accommodations are frequently side-lined and ignored. Some companies in the industries that cater to, and profit from, the needs of menstruating people are leading to a significant environmental impact that remains unchecked and largely unquestioned by many, especially due to rampant consumerism.
Stigma surrounding menstruation and menstruating people across the world still exist, most noticeable in rural areas and low- and middle-income countries due to insufficient awareness and education, and a lack of financial resources for acquiring menstrual hygiene products. This was recently put under the microscope by the UNICEF in Sudan, when they supported initiatives to educate the menstruating young on appropriate hygiene with reusable, affordable, and environmentally-friendly pads.
Due to the commodification of menstrual hygiene, many people are left without access to necessary, sometimes life-saving, solutions during their menstrual periods. ‘Period poverty’ is an issue that affects communities around the globe, even in higher-income countries, but especially in impoverished regions of the MENA, South-east Asia, and the African continent. Therefore, as a human rights issue, menstrual health deserves more attention.
The time is right for the introduction of product concepts and solutions that cater to the needs of menstruating people, while optimising for environmental impact.
In practical terms, there are already companies, individuals, and governments championing the advancement of the menstrual health industry and promoting lifestyle changes and consumption habits that are better for mind, body, and financial stability. Reusable menstrual products have been gaining traction and recognition worldwide, as an evolution of what once was folk tradition. Reusing absorbent materials during menstrual periods is in no way a new concept, but it has been refined for ease-of-use by mimicking existing disposable products, leading to acceptance by consumers who would have otherwise been unsure of switching.
Within the growing so-called FemTech (feminine tech) industry in the MENA – especially in the UAE, which is home to a third of FemTech companies in the MENA – there is a large demand for resuable absorbent pads and menstrual cups, correlating with a normalisation of conversations and public policy surrounding menstrual health.
Between the various reusable options, menstrual cups are among the least environmentally impactful and the most cost-effective on the long run. They require less water to clean than reusable pads, and have an effective lifecycle that lasts up to 10 years, in comparison to 2 years for an average reusable pad.
The varied facets of this issue make it a prime discussion and action point for the upcoming 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27). Recognising this, the Singapore Pavilion at COP27 hosts Freedom Cups, an organisation that works to deliver reusable menstrual products directly to the people that need them. They are one of the many partners exhibited at Singapore’s inaugural pavilion at the upcoming UNFCC event, all of which aim to tackle equally challenging issues.
Freedom Cups works on a buy-1, give-1 model wherein, for every menstrual cup purchased directly from them, they will give one cup to someone from underprivileged communities. They have led distribution efforts in more than 30 communities so far, including some in Asia, Africa, and the United States. Recent outreach efforts included to stateless Karen women in Northern Thailand, as well as women rescued from trafficking in Bangkok.