Period poverty: Rise in free sanitary products needed in lockdown

Image source, Getty Images

The number of girls facing period poverty has risen sharply during the coronavirus lockdown, say the charities who are working to help them.

Money difficulties have left some girls struggling to afford sanitary products and schools and community centres that distribute them have shut.

Sanitary products are worn by girls during their period. You'll see them in any supermarket, but they can cost quite a lot of money. Fourteen-year-old Ajmal says she and her friends were normally given them by their school nurse, but "it's hard to access products when you're not at school".

The government said its scheme launched in January to give out free period products in schools was still in operation.

Video caption, We spoke to kids in Cambridge about period stigma.

Periods are a normal part of growing up for girls and usually start with puberty, but campaigners say that girls who can't afford sanitary products are embarrassed to talk about it and it can lead to them missing lessons.