The national government approved the MenstruAR National Program through Resolution 393/2023 of the Official Gazette published this Tuesday and signed by the head of the feminist portfolio, Ayelén Mazzina.
The initiative of the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity is intended to improve the “menstrual management” and “reduce the inequality gaps associated with the social taboo of menstruation and the discrimination suffered by menstruating people”. In turn, it promotes solving “the lack of access to information, quality menstrual management products and adequate health services to manage menstruation in a healthy and sustainable way”.
The Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity maintains that this implementation is necessary since it “Menstruating requires an economic investment that makes it difficult for thousands of menstruating women and LGTBI+ to adequately manage their menstrual cycle, with consequences that impact the different areas where they develop their lives, the social, work, school environment, the enjoyment of free time and the recreation”.
They also added that they want to eliminate a “taboo” subject for society because, according to reports and studies, “it tends to have a negative connotation in many societies associated with patriarchal myths that They consider it dirty, polluting, which interferes with productive activities, which generates emotional instability in menstruating people and affects their judgment.“.
“In Argentina, more than 12,000,000 people menstruate. The most used menstrual management products, such as tampons and disposable wipes, can be up to 50% more expensive than the average value of basic basket products. Bearing in mind that there may be more than one menstruating person in a home, this can represent a very high investment for people in vulnerable situations.”
Ayelen Mazzina
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The portfolio holder justified this new implementation in that, according to a UNICEF study from 2021, around 10% of menstruating people do not go to school during their period and 23% feel ashamed or uncomfortable about it.
Also, in Buenos Aires, the First Survey of Menstrual Management of the Ombudsman’s Office was carried out in 2020, which showed that 47.9% of menstruating people stop going to their educational or training establishment, 43.9% do not go to social events and 75.6% stop their sports or physical activity during the menstrual cycle.
The Ministry proposes to advance in training on menstrual management and sexual education in state institutions and social organizations. In addition, it will promote the production and use of sustainable sanitary products for the menstrual period. The ecological side will start with delivering menstrual cups and reusable wipes to government institutions under the slogan of the “eco-sociocultural transition towards environmental sustainability.”