by Anjali Beames, Women's Equity Officer, SRC
For the past ten years, May 28 has been recognised by health organisations, development agencies, NGOs, and advocacy groups as Menstrual Hygiene Day as part of a united global movement for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld. For many outside these advocacy spaces, this may be the first time encountering the significance of this date.
Twenty eight (28) represents the average length of a menstrual cycle, and May, the fifth month, reflects the average five (5) days of bleeding each cycle. In the decade since its establishment, the movement has expanded dramatically, with 25,000 pieces of media coverage, and over 1,300 partner organisations in 2025.
As the Women’s Equity Officer, I believe in the importance of collective action in dismantling gender inequalities. No single person or institution can solve menstrual stigma or period poverty alone, but collectively we can shift culture, policy, and access in ways that genuinely transform lives. A period‑friendly world is one where menstruation is recognised as a normal biological process rather than a source of shame or silence, where menstrual education begins early and is inclusive, where period products are affordable and accessible, where period‑friendly toilets are standard, and where menstrual health services are available to all. Yet more than 500 million people worldwide still lack the resources to manage their periods safely and with dignity, resulting in lost educational opportunities, reduced workforce participation, poorer health outcomes, and global economic losses in the hundreds of billions of dollars each year.
Menstruation is a gendered issue, though not in the simplistic way it is often framed. Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women, yet patriarchal structures and misogynistic social norms continue to shape the inequalities surrounding menstrual hygiene. These systems devalue women’s health, silence menstruation as a topic, underfund menstrual research, and even classify menstrual items like pads and tampons non-essential goods. It was not until 2018 that the 10% goods and services tax in Australia was waived on these items, and this is not the case for other countries. Compounded by the stigma and disregard many men hold toward menstruation, under‑resourcing and a lack of investment in menstrual health lead to lack of access and worse outcomes.
Menstruation is also deeply intersectional. In many parts of the so-called ‘Global South’, menstruating people face severe barriers due to inadequate sanitation infrastructure, limited access to clean water, and a lack of safe menstrual materials. As a result, many rely on unsafe alternatives such as rags, old cloth, or leaves, which are practices that endanger health and reinforce stigma.
Class inequality further shapes menstrual experiences. Even in Australia, period poverty, defined as the inability to access safe, affordable menstrual products and facilities, is a growing crisis. According to Share the Dignity’s 2024 Bloody Big Survey, 64% of menstruators have struggled to afford period products. This number rises to 78% among people with disabilities or chronic conditions, and 83% among gender‑diverse respondents.
Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) falls during National Reconciliation Week in Australia, and it is important to understand that period poverty disproportionately affects First Nations people. 21.75% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were unable to afford period products in the last 12 months, in comparison to 6.9% of non-Indigenous people.
Alarmingly, more students at TAFEs and universities are improvising period products than in 2021. These statistics reflect the lived reality of students across our own campuses. At the University of Newcastle, access to menstrual products remains uneven. The Auchmuty Library provides 24/7 access to free pads and tampons through a Dignity Vending Machine located in the gender‑neutral accessible toilet in the Learning Lounge, yet support at NUspace and the Central Coast campuses are limited or not at all. Period equity should not depend on which campus a student attends. That is why the SRC is working to expand access, including through our initiative to distribute free period underwear across campuses.
Thanks to the advocacy of UNSA staff member Sarah Norton and the generosity of Share the Dignity, we have received 1,140 individual packs of period underwear. Starting with stocking the UNSA Free Pantries at Callaghan and NuSpace, and distributions alongside Free Food Fridays at all campuses, we are looking to other mechanisms of ensuring free access for University of Newcastle Students. The announcement of the full roll-out plan for period underwear will be shared at soon, so keep an eye out for when these products become available!
Menstrual equity is fundamentally about health equity, gender equity, economic equity, and educational equity. When students cannot afford period products, they miss classes. When stigma silences discussion, people suffer in isolation. When infrastructure is inadequate, dignity is compromised. A period‑friendly world is not an idealistic goal, it is a necessity. Menstrual Hygiene Day reminds us that meaningful change happens when we act collectively. As a university community, we have the power to advocate for policy change, expand campus access to free products, support inclusive menstrual education, and challenge stigma wherever it appears. Together, we can build a world where no one is held back because they menstruate.