ABOUT Us
Monthly Matters was started by a group of highschoolers in the KW region sick and tired of the lack of women's health education. They felt that women's menstrual health was treated as a taboo subject in education - when in reality, it was a matter of biology and basic human rights.
While an estimated 2.1 billion women, girls, and gender-diverse people menstruate globally, there is still a lack of funding in research, education and proper care. In 2023, around 1 in 5 Canadians who menstruate said they were worried they wouldn’t be able to afford period products within the next year. This shouldn't be case.
Everyone should have the rights to proper sanitation, education, and security. Monthly Matters is taking the next steps towards a more equal and aware tomorrow.
Three Pillars of Improvement
01
Gap in Youth Education
2 out of 5 schools provide menstrual health education, according to a report by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
83% of young Canadians (ages 13–21) actively hide their periods, and 58% report feeling ashamed of a completely normal bodily
In Canada, 65% of people who menstruate function. report that they did not receive any or adequate menstrual health education.
02
Period Poverty
Period poverty is the inability to afford or access menstrual products, safe sanitation and hygiene facilities, and proper education to manage menstruation.
1 in 6 Canadians have personally experienced period poverty.
74% of Indigenous respondents in remote and northern communities and 55% in non-remote or urban areas report difficulty or trouble accessing menstrual products.
03
Lack of Menstrual Health Condition Awareness
Conditions like dysmenorrhea (painful periods) affect over two-thirds of women and girls, while endometriosis impacts roughly 5% to 10% and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) affects about 5.5%, yet funding and public awareness remain disproportionately low.
Women's health data has been historically excluded from scientific research. Despite premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affecting roughly 90% of individuals who menstruate, research into erectile dysfunction (ED)—which affects about 19% of men—has historically received five times more public research funding.
Our Plan
“Little drops of water make the mighty ocean.” - Julia Carney
