The most recent Always® Confidence & Puberty Survey reveals that nearly one in seven Canadian girls have either left school early or missed school entirely because they did not have access to the feminine care products they needed to manage their periods. Missed school equals missed opportunities and a drop in confidence. It’s a simple equation.
The lack of access due to economic factors is often referred to as “period poverty” and it impacts girls and women around the world. It can be especially damaging at puberty, when school interactions are crucial to a girls’ development. That’s why Always, the leader in global feminine care, is committed to help #EndPeriodPoverty by sparking conversation and taking action. In Canada, Always has provided over five million elementary and secondary school students puberty and education materials through its long-standing partnership with organizations such as Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) and Ophea. This school year, Always has a goal to donate over 1.5 million period products through schools that support the Always Puberty and Confidence Education Program.
“Having seen first-hand how lack of access to period products can affect girls’ confidence at puberty, I am thrilled to see Always take a bold step by empowering real conversations around the topic and helping to end period poverty,’ said Milena Trojanovic, a 25-year veteran Health and Physical Education teacher with the Halton District School Board. “We know that the Always Puberty and Confidence Education Program materials have proven useful and effective to educators, and that this donation will contribute significantly to continue supporting Always’ mission.”
At puberty, a girl’s confidence plummets, with the onset of menstruation marking the lowest moment for many girls. But the drop in confidence is so much worse for girls that lack access to period protection. It can force her to miss out on important confidence-building activities in the classroom, on the field, in extra-curricular school programs or the lab, and limit her potential far beyond puberty. While lack of access to period products is typically associated with girls in other countries, period poverty isn’t just someone else’s problem. It’s happening right here in Canada.
To shed light on an issue many Canadians are unaware of, and chip away at this barrier to girls’ education, Always is joining forces with Gina Rodriguez, actress and passionate advocate for girls’ education.
“I am passionate about empowering women and girls to feel confident and reach their fullest potential through their education and it hurts my heart that there are so many young women who are not receiving a full education due to a lack of access to feminine hygiene products. I am very proud to partner with Always on their mission to help #EndPeriodPoverty and ensure these young women are not missing critical academic opportunities that are crucial to building a sustainable future.”
For 35 years, Always has been championing girls’ confidence. Always’ Puberty & Confidence Education Programs reach more than 17 million girls annually and their product access programs have provided more than 80 million pads to girls in need around the world in the past 10 years alone. On top of this, the Always #LikeAGirl movement has been driving societal change to help girls everywhere keep their confidence at puberty and beyond. This new effort to help #EndPeriodPoverty is the brand’s next evolution in its commitment to make puberty a moment that propels girls forward into a confident womanhood.
“Always’ mission is rooted in building girls’ confidence, which we know takes a hit at puberty,” said Jen Davis, President of Global Feminine Care at Procter & Gamble. “Education is a huge driver of girls’ confidence and when we learned that nearly one in seven girls in Canada are missing school because they don’t have period protection, we saw the need to expand our current efforts. Our goal is not only to help provide access to period products for girls in need, but also spark a national conversation to #EndPeriodPoverty and keep girls focused on reaching their full potential.”
Join Always to help #EndPeriodPoverty and keep girls in school and confident. Here’s how you can help:
- Join the conversation, and raise awareness of the issue in Canada
- Post a throwback school photo on social media, tagging @Always (@Always_brand on Instagram) and using the hashtag #EndPeriodPoverty, to trigger one month’s supply of pads to Canadian school girls through schools that support the Always Puberty and Confidence Education Program in Canada (post must be before 8/21/18 11:59 PM EST).
- Purchase an Always Pads pack from July 29 – September 8, 2018 to trigger an Always donation of one pad to Canadian school girls through schools that support the Always Puberty and Confidence Education Program.
