Student advocacy group highlights period poverty crisis in Jamaica

Nearly half of Jamaican girls are affected by period poverty, while one in four reportedly misses school during menstruation, according to the National Secondary Students' Council (NSSC).

The NSSC is raising concern about the impact the issue is having on girls across the country, stressing that period poverty in Jamaica goes beyond access to sanitary pads.

Period poverty refers to limited access to sanitary products, proper bathroom facilities, menstrual health education and other resources needed to safely and hygienically manage menstruation.

NSSC  President Briann Anderson noted that a survey was conducted at schools across the Island and its findings are a cause for concern.

Summer Anderson, a member of the NSSC Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce, speaking Monday on Radio Jamaica’s Beyond the Headlines, praised advocacy groups and private sector organizations for distributing menstrual products in schools and communities.

She noted, however, that Jamaica still depends too heavily on donations and short-term solutions.