Puppet: International Women's Day Celebration

Let's celebrate women! Puppet Belfast are having an incredible coffee/breakfast morning in their offices on International Women's Day, and they want you to be involved. From 10am they will be showcasing TED talks about women and their experiences in the working world, as well un-tech related talks by incredible women. Why not start your IWD off in style (and enjoy some bagels too)? We look forward to seeing you there :) Puppet will also be accepting sanitary products for The Homeless Period Belfast, you can find more information below and also here: https://www.facebook.com/TheHomelessPeriodBelfast/

Period Packing Party 2019 - What’s this about?

Period supplies are the most requested items at shelters and food banks but are often the least donated. And that’s where Period Packing Parties come in -- provide menstrual products to those in need and bring attention to the reality that is period poverty.

Period. Menstruation. Menses. Monthlies. The Curse. Aunt Flow. Rag.

Whatever you call it, roughly 50% of the world’s population menstruate once a month. Yet, this entirely normal, natural occurrence is somehow still stigmatised by many. So much so that sanitary products like tampons and pads are taxed as a ‘luxury’ item...rest assured there is nothing luxurious about periods.

Now imagine not being able to afford these “luxury” items and having to resort to using one tampon per day or one pad for multiple days or, when proper products are not available, using a sock, dishrag, newspaper, cardboard, or a paper bag as alternatives. One may think that feminine hygiene products are accessible and affordable, however, studies show that up to 500 million women and girls are living each month in period poverty.

What is period poverty?

Period poverty refers to having a lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints. It is estimated that the average woman will spend in her lifetime around $10,000 in the U.S. and £20,000 in the U.K. on sanitary items. For those experiencing poverty, those numbers are prohibitive and mean sacrificing your health and dignity in order to put food on the table and for young girls, it means sacrificing their education rather than face the shame and embarrassment of being unprepared for their periods.

What can we do to help?

All of next week, we are collecting feminine hygiene products (tampons, new underwear, sanitary towels, panty liners, wipes, deodorant and hand sanitisers) and put it together to donate it to The Homeless Period Belfast a local organisation that provides menstrual products to those in need and advocates for period equity. Join us at Puppet from 10am on Friday, 8 March to get it packed up!

This International Women’s Day how will you #BalanceforBetter?

PLEASE NOTE: This is not solely a WWCode event, this is for all women networks! Puppet kindly asked would we publish the event and we happily obliged :)