Period poverty: the City of Geneva facilitates access to reusable products

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For the past year, the City of Geneva’s “Stop period poverty” programme has gradually developed around several main thrusts: the fight against period poverty, the dismantling of taboos linked to periods and a desire to encourage the use of reusable menstrual products. 

Reusable menstrual products, challenges and opportunities

Alongside disposable menstrual products, reusable alternatives (cup, panties, washable sanitary towels, etc.) have existed for a long time. Relatively unknown in Switzerland, they are currently enjoying an increase in popularity. These products present a certain number of advantages, both for public health and for the environment. While they are also more economical in the long run, there is nevertheless an initial cost which can represent something of an obstacle, as can the lack of information available relating to these products. Alfonso Gomez, Executive Councillor responsible for Equality, believes that “these forms of protection are basic necessities. Easy access to these products helps fight period poverty, promote gender equality and reduce the volume of waste generated every year.” 

A mobile information and awareness facility

To continue making period-related issues more visible in the public domain and to encourage the use of reusable menstrual products in Geneva, the Agenda 21-Sustainable City service has worked with the associations For Womxn, Period and Réseau femmes* to develop a mobile information and awareness facility. This mobile stand, entitled “Menstruations zéro déchet” (zero waste menstruation) and bearing the slogan “Quitte à saigner autant réutiliser!” (if you have to bleed, you might as well reuse), will be present at a dozen events and gatherings organised within the Geneva area between May and October 2022. The events targeted include several happenings within the la Ville est à vous festival, the Viva la Vulva festival in June at les Bains des Pâquis and the Fête du sport in September. On these occasions, 1,000 introductory kits containing reusable menstrual products will be distributed to people interested in discovering them. People can also obtain advice and answers to their questions from members of the two associations who will be present on the stand. Depending on the results of the first edition of this campaign, the programme will be repeated or adapted in 2023.

A growing action programme

As part of its policy of promoting gender equality, and to address concerns linked to the accessibility of menstrual products, the City of Geneva is developing an action programme entitled “Stop period poverty”. Specific emphasis is placed on young people and the most vulnerable individuals. In autumn 2021, some fifty distributors were installed in municipal buildings or those supported by the City while in March 2022, a series of awareness actions were organised during Equality Week, with a conference, workshops and the publication of a bibliography entitled “Haut les corps, à bas les tabous!” These actions have provided an initial response to concerns linked to the accessibility of basic menstrual products for the most vulnerable individuals, while increasing the visibility of challenges linked to periods. To complete these considerations and actions, the City is now addressing a new section of this programme by examining the question of reusable menstrual products. 

More information in the folder dedicated to the Stop period poverty programme.