Always: #EndPeriodPoverty


Health
23/08/2019
At ALWAYS we believe every girl should have access to sanitary protection. We’ve conducted research* among girls, parents and teachers to understand more about the issue of Period Poverty and the results are disturbing.

A fifth of the parents we spoke to have struggled to afford sanitary protection for their daughter, which equates to approximately 373,778 girls. For some, the situation is sadly even worse as more than 137,700 girls are missing school every year because they cannot afford the essential items needed.

We know that, during puberty, girls’ confidence plummets – and not being able to attend school only accelerates this.

The insights from school staff also paint a worrying picture of how the issue affects their pupils. Almost a fifth of the teachers we surveyed have been told by a student that they couldn’t come to school or had to leave early as she couldn’t afford sanitary products. And nearly a third (32%) of teachers told us that the girls who experience Period Poverty tend to perform below average in class.

Any issue that has such a negative impact on a girl’s education has got our attention.

That’s why we’re on a mission to #EndPeriodPoverty and make sure that every girl has the protection she needs to stay in school. Because helping her stay in education is key to her growth, building her confidence and empowering her to Keep Going #LikeAGirl.

So, for every pack of any ALWAYS product sold at participating retailers from 8th March to 30th April, we’ll donate a pad directly to school girls.

ALWAYS’ history of giving

ALWAYS has long-standing relationships with charities and not-for-profit organisations across the UK. For example, In Kind Direct is a charity that inspires product giving for social good and works to alleviate hygiene poverty. ALWAYS has been donating sanitary pads to In Kind Direct for more than 14 years, benefiting over 1,500 local charities and not-for-profit organisations to date.

ALWAYS also provides sanitary pads to UK schools through our ALWAYS & TAMPAX Puberty Education Programmes – designed for both primary and secondary students. We will continue our 30+ year history of providing these programmes as part of our mission to keep girls in school.

*We Are Futures conducted research among 545 teachers and school staff in UK schools with students aged 11 and over.
It was an online poll completed between 7th and 14th February 2018. One Poll conducted three studies on behalf of ALWAYS:
    • Among 500 UK girls aged 10-18 who’d started their periods, via an online and mobile poll, completed between 15-23 February 2018.
    • Among 500 UK parents with daughters aged between 10-18 who’d started their periods, via an online and mobile poll, completed between 15–20 February 2018.
    • Among 1,000 UK women aged 18-55 via an online and mobile poll, completed between 15–16 February 2018.