Breaking the cycle of period poverty

This week's Wise Women Conversations is one that I wish we didn't have to have but it is a very important topic. I am speaking to Rochelle Courtney from Share the Dignity about a very real problem in this country - Period Poverty!! To be honest until I came across the work that Rochelle was doing a few years ago I never realised that there were women who were unable to purchase the menstrual products that they needed each month. Because of period poverty there are girls who can't go to school when they have their period (yes this happens in Australia), there are women who have to choose between feeding their children and buying pads or tampons and they use old clothing or rolled up toilet paper to get them through. The work that Share the Dignity do is amazing and it has been through Rochelle's determination and hard work that the Australian Government finally dropped the GST on menstrual products. This is a very important conversation that every woman (and man) needs to listen to. We need to be more aware of what is happening to women in this country and take some small actions to help where we can. Please visit www.sharethedignity.com.au and help in whatever way that you can. Take part in the "It's In The Bag" campaign that starts at the end of November. All it takes for you to add a couple of extra items to your shopping each week and putting them all in a handbag or backpack, then dropping of at your nearest Bunnings store on the stated dates and your gift will be distributed to a woman or girl in need.