In Ireland, one in 10 girls have struggled to afford period products, like pads or tampons.[1]
This is period poverty, the lack of access by women and girls to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and supportive healthcare and education. It’s a a gender equality issue, and a violation of human rights. And in 2025, it remains a shameful reality for millions of women and girls worldwide.
In Ireland, the Government made a welcome commitment to tackle period poverty in its 2020 Programme for Government. But five years on, we face a worrying lack of progress. While some steps have been taken, like the formation of an Inter-Departmental Group in 2023, the absence of consistent, nationwide provision raises serious questions about the Government’s urgency and commitment to this issue.
[1] Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Ireland, 2022: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/hbsc/hbscireland/2022study/
We are calling on the Irish Government to provide free, universal access to menstrual products in schools, public buildings, and emergency shelters.
We demand that the Government makes this a priority, so that everyone with a period can attend school, attend work, and live healthy lives with dignity.
Take action and sign the petition to End Period Poverty – Ireland must act now.
