The United Way Period Promise Research Project
United Way is proud to release the Period Promise Research Project Final Report. More than 1600 people responded to a public survey where they shared how period poverty impacts their life and access to community. Hundreds provided testimonies that speak to the importance of increasing access to free menstrual products.
Through the year-long project United Way also provided free tampons and pads to 12 community organizations from around the province to give out. More than 300,000 menstrual products were distributed, and the results made it clear that community organizations are essential to building solutions to period poverty in our province.
Funded by the Government of BC, this research is providing United Way and the Government with a profile of period poverty in BC. It outlines the impact of not having access to menstrual products and the benefits of being able to find free products in community organizations.
The final report highlights how common the lack of access to menstrual products in British Columbia is, and helps identify some of the serious negative effects on people’s daily activities and participation in their community. A few quick findings are highlighted below. Unfortunately, the impacts of period poverty are magnified for Indigenous people and people living with disabilities.
Facts from the research project:
• Approximately 51% of respondents to our public survey indicated that they had struggled to purchase product for themselves.
• 26% of respondents indicated they had gone through a period without having menstrual products available to them.
• Not having access to menstrual products is an isolating factor: 18% of respondents indicated that they missed school, 22% work, 29% community events, and 27% social events when they didn’t have access.
• Nearly 75% of respondents indicated that having access to products at community organizations allows them to be more engaged in their community.
For more information: READ THE FULL REPORT
Thank you to the following 12 non-profit agencies around the province for participating in this research project:
Cranbrook - Community Connection Society of Southeastern BC
Victoria - Victoria Youth Empowerment Society
Victoria - Society of St Vincent de Paul
Powell River - Powell River Action Centre Society
Prince George - Prince George Sexual Assault Centre Society
Terrace - Ksan Society in Terrace
Nanaimo - Nanaimo Women’s Centre
Hope - Hope + Area Transition Society
Surrey - Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre
Vancouver - Kiwassa Neighbourhood House
Vancouver - RayCam Community Centre
Kelowna - Living Positive Resource Centre
To continue contributing to this survey: TAKE THE SURVEY
Research Project Funded by:
Supporting Sponsors:
