In a country with no shortage of social issues, menstrual health has never been a priority. In Pakistan, it is often seen as a personal or female problem, while being considered inconsequential. However, the cost of this ignorance is that women across Pakistan, coming from all walks of life, experience what is known as three-dimensional period poverty. This phenomenon encompasses not only being financially unable to afford menstrual products but also the inability to fulfill menstrual health and hygiene needs due to deeply rooted social stigma, lack of education, and missing infrastructure.

At its most fundamental level, these dimensions reveal the inability to manage menstrual health with dignity. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), which includes the products and practices used during menstruation, is severely compromised for a significant portion of the Pakistani female population. Therefore, in the unique socio-political context of Pakistan, it has a multifaceted impact on the lives of women, and this issue warrants urgent attention.

The impact of education is such that it contributes to a rise in school absenteeism due to fear of staining, embarrassment, and lack of facilities, all of which impact performance and participation. A study conducted on schoolgirls revealed that out of 108 students, 72.22% reported missing school due to their periods. Another study in Mardan concludes that roughly one-third of schoolgirls drop out of school when they begin menstruating in some rural districts.

Additionally, reports show that 1 in 3 schools in the country lack basic sanitation facilities, which directly constrains girls’ ability to manage menstruation at school and contributes to absenteeism and dropout. Furthermore, menstrual products are often scarce in restrooms and nurses’ offices. Most girls can recall asking a fellow student if they had a pad they could borrow, which is why most girls carry one even when they’re not expecting their period.

Even in more advanced institutions, only a select few restrooms offer period products, and these are rarely free. Instead, they are typically dispensed through vending machines at a cost. This is something I observed at institutions like IBA and SZABIST in Karachi. I stood before a vending machine and asked my friend, “Shouldn’t these be free?” She responded that if they were, people would just take them all or take them to give away, even when they didn’t need them. This is a sentiment I have come across before.

But the question remains: what is wrong with that? Given that sanitary pads are out of reach for more than two-thirds of Pakistani women, and with rising poverty levels, shouldn’t we offer support to these women and grant them the dignity they deserve? Additionally, considering the taboos and shame surrounding the topic, it is highly unlikely that someone would resell these products. Men would hesitate to touch them, and allowing their sisters to sell them publicly would be seen as a dishonor. In a country where girls still struggle to receive an education, this lack of infrastructure proves to be a crushing setback.

In the workplace, women have cited severe menstrual pain, lack of clean or private toilets, and inability to take medical leave as causes of workplace discomfort during their menstrual cycle. With women comprising only 22.8% of the workforce, they’re more likely to have a male supervisor and less likely to have conversations with them about needed breaks or time off due to pain. The presence of male coworkers is a cause of stress, as women feel immense pressure to hide any sign of weakness during their........

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