A new task force backed by $750,000 in provincial funding will support the Province’s goal to end period poverty and remove the stigma associated with menstruation.

“Not being able to access period supplies can negatively affect people’s ability to go about their day-to-day activities,” said Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “The new task force will explore the various factors that contribute to period poverty and find solutions that can benefit British Columbians.”

The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction is providing United Way British Columbia with a grant to support the establishment of a multi-sector task force to define long-term goals for ending period poverty in B.C. Period poverty is the lack of access to menstrual products, a basic need for many British Columbians, due to financial barriers.

The new Period Poverty Task Force will be chaired by Nikki Hill. She is a respected community leader with experience working with diverse partners to raise awareness and tackle period poverty in B.C.

“Volunteering as co-chair of United Way’s Period Promise campaign since 2018 has taught me how common period poverty is in our communities and how much of an impact a lack of menstrual products has on people’s lives,” said Hill. “I’m looking forward to taking on this new role with the task force while we build on our work and partnerships to eliminate period poverty and level the playing field for all."

Remaining task force members will be announced soon. Members will include representatives from business, non-profit organizations or people representing individuals with lived experience of period poverty, Indigenous peoples, and student and youth organizations.

One of the task force’s key goals will be to develop partnerships with governments, Indigenous partners, businesses, communities and non-profit organizations to look at ways to understand and find solutions to period poverty.

This new funding will also support continued delivery of free period products to people who need them, including through United Way British Columbia’s annual Period Promise campaign. The aim of the Period Promise campaign is to make it easier for those who menstruate to access the products they need, when they need them. This year’s campaign runs until June 7 and aims to distribute 700,000 menstrual products.

This new funding will also support continued delivery of free period products and directly supports the ministry’s mandate to make the province a global leader in the fight to end period poverty by developing a long-term, comprehensive strategy.

Quotes:

Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity –

“Having a monthly period is a part of life and we know that many people face barriers to accessing basic hygiene products. Period poverty prevents people from participating in work and recreational activities. No one should have less opportunity or face stigma because they are not able to access the products they need.”

Niki Sharma, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits –

“The work of United Way British Columbia to end period poverty and make menstrual products easier to access is another great example of how non-profits help make society better.”  

Michael McKnight, president and CEO, United Way British Columbia –

“Period poverty is a problem that we can only solve together. Building the Period Poverty Task Force with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction will help us all better understand how to increase access to vital menstrual products and programming provincewide. We are looking forward to diving deeper into the issue and building solutions by bringing experts together from across the province. We are grateful for this additional support and look forward to our partnership with the ministry on helping to end period poverty in B.C.”

Angelene Prakash, menstrual equity activist –

“The establishment of a Period Poverty Task Force has been a long time coming and is paramount in the quest for achieving menstrual equity in British Columbia. Additionally, having people with lived experience on the task force will be critical in ensuring that the voices of those who have felt the impact of this inequity are a meaningful part of the solution.”

Quick Facts:

• In 2020, the Province provided $107,000 to the United Way British Columbia to conduct the Period Promise Research Project.
• Students in B.C. have had access to free menstrual products in the washroom of all public schools since 2019.
• The Province’s poverty-reduction strategy TogetherBC aims to reduce overall poverty in the province by 25% and cut child poverty in half by 2024.

Learn More:

United Way Period Promise Research Project: www.periodpromise.ca/pages/research

United Way’s Period Promise Campaign: www.periodpromise.ca

TogetherBC, the Province’s poverty-reduction strategy: www.gov.bc.ca/togetherbc