Menstrual poverty affects 17.3 million people in Colombia, according to data from the Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) cited by Infobae Colombia. Despite Colombia eliminating the tax on menstrual hygiene products in 2018, deep economic, social, and infrastructural inequalities continue to restrict access to basic supplies and sanitation across urban and rural communities.
Economic Barriers and Alternatives to Hygiene Products
Financial constraints force a significant portion of the population to compromise their health and well-being. According to DANE figures highlighted by UNICEF Colombia, 11.4% of girls, adolescents, and women aged 10 to 55 reported economic difficulties acquiring necessary menstrual products during 2023. Broader government data indicates that women experienced similar financial hurdles between May 2021 and May 2022.
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When individuals cannot afford commercial products, they often resort to unsafe alternatives. DANE records show that women with no income relied on rags, old clothes, socks, toilet paper, or napkins during their periods. Lina Corredor, director of La Aliada: Agencia pedagógica por los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos, noted to Infobae Colombia that using these improvised materials elevates infection risks and undermines personal dignity.
“The obstacles are multiple and sich sobreponen,” Corredor explained regarding the systemic nature of the issue. Activists and researchers favor the term “empobrecimiento menstrual” (menstrual impoverishment) rather than poverty to emphasize that institutional and political failures drive these ongoing disparities.
Impact on Education and Daily Activities
The lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure directly disrupts education and daily life, particularly in rural regions. A 2022 survey of 106 girls and adolescents across urban and rural areas of Bogotá, Uribia, and Riohacha found that 51.89% missed at least one day of school during their period, while 66.04% had to interrupt daily activities entirely.
Wider studies reveal even starker disparities in vulnerable regions. UNICEF research cited by Infobae Colombia indicated that 62% of surveyed girls missed school due to period-related factors, with up to one in four girls missing classes in remote Pacific schools because of absent water, soap, and hygiene products.
Privacy and sanitation access compound these educational hurdles. The 2022 survey noted that 19.82% of respondents lacked a private family bathroom, sharing facilities across multiple households instead. Additionally, DANE statistics show that women faced obstacles accessing a clean, private bathroom during their period, with figures exceeding 13% in cities like Cali, Tunja, Ibagué, and Bogotá.
Interventions and Public Health Initiatives
Organizations and community groups are working to bridge these gaps through infrastructure repair and educational outreach. During 2024, UNICEF Colombia and local partners provided water, sanitation, and hygiene services to 56,000 people across 34 municipalities experiencing humanitarian emergencies, including 18,000 women and 11,000 girls.
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UNICEF’s efforts include building and rehabilitating latrines and bathrooms in schools located in rural and ethnic communities. Alongside these structural fixes, educational workshops on menstrual health and the distribution of hygiene kits reached 12,587 individuals over the course of 2024. Experts and organizations emphasize that solving the crisis requires sustained government funding, comprehensive sex education, and reliable supplies in all educational institutions.
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