Current Initiatives

Addressing Period Poverty in Cowichan

Testing approaches to meeting the needs of vulnerable women in the Cowichan region

Period Poverty means not being able to get menstrual products and hygiene opportunities when they are needed that are of your choosing, fit your body and your needs, and are of good quality, affordable, sustainable, and in the amount you need.

Period poverty is a community issue. Increasing access to menstrual products for people with limited resources will make Cowichan a healthier place where the needs of its citizens are recognized and addressed. This community-based action research project explored the stigma around menstruation and ways in which products can be more readily made available in the community through working collaboratively with local partners.

One way CWHC explored barriers to menstrual equity was through Photovoice, a way to express lived experience of period poverty. Photography allows an expression of lived experience and creates space for alternate voices in research about social justice issues. The images ground the abstract concepts of menstrual equity and period poverty, by providing concrete examples of how women can be distressed or frustrated by their periods. The Photovoice exhibition at the CVAC Studio (part of the Cowichan Community Centre), was on display from October 24 – November 10, 2023, and attracted approximately 1100 viewers.

Find out more in our FINAL REPORT.

Free period products can be found in many public buildings, including the Margaret Moss Public Health Unit.