Since I was a teenager, I never got sex education and reproductive knowledge either from my parents or my teachers in school.
Growing up as an Indonesian girl, for me, is a little bit challenging, especially when we talk about women’s health and reproductive health. As we know, not only did our parents not tell us about sex, but also our culture and society still see sex and reproduction as taboo topics and avoid having conversations about them.
As a result, Indonesian girls growing up without awareness of how important it is to protect themselves during intercourse or to monitor their health—this is why unwanted pregnancy, maternal mortality, and period poverty have become issues in Indonesia. Even though it seems to have a serious impact, especially for women, the government has yet to respond with inclusive policies.
For a short definition period poverty is a condition where women have limited access to sanitary products and proper facilities for menstrual hygiene management. According to the World Bank, approximately 500 million women in the world do not have access to menstrual products and adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management.
Pads have become a necessity for women that should be provided; however, a low economic level can make someone think twice about buying a pack of sanitary pads. That story I got from my Papuan friend, who told in some remote districts in Papua, many women do not afford to buy pads and find difficulty getting health facilities.
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Indeed, the financial burden of purchasing menstrual products further marginalises poor girls. In Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, a pack of sanitary pads can cost around USD 0.99 per month, a price that is unaffordable for families struggling to meet basic needs.
Due to these economic constraints, many girls miss school during their periods, leading to educational disparities that exacerbate gender inequality. According to UNESCO, period poverty is a key reason why millions of adolescent girls drop out of school globally.
According to the 2022 School Sanitation Profile, 58% of schools lack basic sanitation, such as separate toilets, clean water, and proper drainage systems. This deficiency has a real impact on school attendance, with around 80% of girls forced to miss 1-2 days of school each time they menstruate. Meanwhile, the situation in Papua is equally alarming, with more than 60% of Papuan girls not attending school during their menstrual period.
The lack of access to harmless and hygienic products has caused women to use other unsafe products. Many countries still have problems creating a safe place for women to manage their menstrual products comfortably and with dignity. Not all schools or workplaces provide clean toilets and water.
This has caused women to wear menstrual products for a long time, which can affect their health. According to UNICEF, as many as 2 out of 3 women in urban areas and 41% of women in rural areas change their sanitary pads every 4-8 hours. In fact, sanitary pads should normally be changed when they feel full.
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Limited access to clean water exacerbates menstrual health challenges for poor girls in Indonesia. Many impoverished communities rely on contaminated rivers for bathing, washing clothes, and even defecating.
For menstruating girls, maintaining hygiene in such conditions is nearly impossible, increasing their vulnerability to infections. Poor menstrual hygiene can lead to serious health complications, including urinary tract infections, reproductive illnesses, infertility, and birth-related risks.
Additionally, inadequate sanitation and a lack of access to proper handwashing facilities can contribute to the spread of infections such as hepatitis B and thrush.
UNICEF also found that 25% adolescent girls in Indonesia had not discussed menstruation with anyone before their first menses, and 17% were not aware that menstruation was a physical sign of puberty. Furthermore, cultural taboos persist in disposing of menstrual products–78% of girls and mothers washed their disposable pads before wrapping them in a plastic bag and then finally disposing of them.
They explained that they washed disposable pads because they considered menstrual blood dirty and wanted to remove the smell and prevent others from discovering that they were menstruating.
My friend, who has been working in Halmahera, tells me that women in the villages he visits often leave to enter the forest or the ladang (fields) during their periods because they are deemed “dirty.”
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Another taboo in Papua is the use of alternative terms for menstruation. For example, the term “Otsus” is frequently used in the Papuan community instead of the word “menstruation,” which feels distanced from women’s bodies. Sadly, some of my friends use euphemisms for menstruation like “halangan,” “dapet,” or “lagi gak sholat,” and they often feel embarrassed to refer to sanitary pads, instead calling them “bread.”
If shame and stigma continue to persist, how can we have open discussions about the pain of menstruation? How can we talk freely about women’s issues? And at the policy level, how can we address budgets for reproductive health?
Period poverty in Indonesia constitutes a barrier to the realization of fundamental human rights, including the rights of health, education, work, dignity, non-discrimination, and participation in public life. Women have the right to use safe menstrual products during their monthly menses. They have the right to a safe and private place to manage their menses, as well as clean water sources and facilities.
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Limitations in access to menstrual products, adequate WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) facilities, and misinformation about menstruation significantly impact girls, women, and menstruating individuals, reinforcing gender inequality and social exclusion. However, there are effective strategies to reduce this inequality. Increasing knowledge about menstruation can help combat the negative stigma surrounding menstrual periods.
As long as society views menstrual products as non-essential, women will continue to face discrimination, making it difficult for them to access menstrual products, seek help when needed, and learn accurate information about menstrual health.
Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that menstrual products are affordable and that adequate infrastructure is in place to support the health of menstruating individuals and promote gender equality. For example, in the school context, very recommended that coordination between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education be strengthened to improve the provision of menstruation education through the current school curriculum.
Lastly, the Ministry of Finance is encouraged to eliminate the Value Added Tax (VAT) on menstrual products. Taxing sanitary pads as if they were luxury items is outdated and unfair. This tax punishes millions of women and girls for a biological process they cannot control. Each month, low-income students miss school, workers lose pay, and families must choose between buying food and staying hygienic because a 10 percent tax makes it hard to afford essential products.
