Women in eastern Europe, including Moldova, are forced to work three times harder than those in Western Europe to afford menstrual hygiene products, according to a report by the Social Monitor, a project supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Romania. The phenomenon of "period poverty" remains a topic that is not sufficiently addressed in public policies, even though its impact on vulnerable women is significant, IPN reports.
In Romania, a woman earning the minimum wage must work more than three hours to afford the menstrual products she needs for one month, while a British woman only needs to work 18 minutes for the same products. The disparities are even greater in Eastern Europe, where in countries like Moldova and Albania, women must work between 5 and 6 hours to cover the monthly cost of menstrual products. These economic disparities highlight an alarming gap in access to basic hygiene products, exacerbating economic and social inequalities.
Globally, Western European countries are much more advanced in addressing this issue, with examples such as Scotland, where menstrual products have been available for free since 2022, and the UK, which eliminated VAT on these products after Brexit. In contrast, in many Eastern European countries, including Romania and Moldova, menstrual poverty remains an unsolved problem that directly impacts women's health and dignity.
In Romania, a woman working for the minimum wage will spend the equivalent of over eight minimum wages over her lifetime on menstrual products, while in the UK, this cost is much lower under one minimum wage. In this context, there is a need for a reform of fiscal and social policies, including subsidies for menstrual products, as well as greater menstrual and sexual education for young people.
Period poverty is not just an economic issue, but also a public health barrier that requires coordinated actions from authorities to ensure equitable access to menstrual products and reduce the stigma associated with menstruation. Legislative and educational measures must be implemented as a priority to combat the effects of this form of social inequality, the Social Monitor report highlights.
