Silent Struggles: Confronting Period Poverty and the Hidden Toll on Women’s Lives

Period Poverty and the Hidden Toll on Women’s Lives”From childhood to adulthood, women silently endure the distress of menstrual cycles in environments that offer little to no support. Young girls in many parts of the world miss school because they lack access to menstrual products or safe spaces for hygiene during their cycles. This absence has long-term consequences, limiting educational opportunities and economic mobility. For adult women, the struggle persists in workplaces where menstrual pain, hormonal shifts, migraines, and loss of focus are seen as invisible burdens—ones that are rarely acknowledged or accommodated. Many women are forced to call in sick, working through stress and discomfort in silence, fearing judgment or professional consequences.