甚麼是月經貧窮？What Is Period Poverty?  

月事貧窮(Period Poverty) 指因經濟困難而引致與月經相關的多種問題，如缺乏適切而衛生的月事用品、減少更換月事用品的次數、衍生與月經相關的健康問題、造成社交困擾等。

Period poverty refers to scarcity menstrual products due to financial factors, leading to problems such as limited frequency on changing for clean menstrual products, lacking hygienic menstrual products, and subsequent health and social impact.

1)經濟

我們估計現時香港每位來經者平均每月在即棄月事用品上的開支約港幣50元。以一生來經40年計算，便需花費高達港幣35,100元於月事用品。而且因市場價格持續上漲，月事用品平均開支有不停上升的趨勢。

Free Periods HK將為低收入女性提供免費的環保月事用品，減輕她們長期購買即棄月事用品的財政負擔。

1. Finance

In Hong Kong, purchasing menstrual products poses a huge financial burden on menstruators. We estimate that Hong Kong menstruators spend at least HKD50 a month on disposable menstrual products (which makes it HKD35,100 for 40 years of menstrual cycle), and the amount is ever-increasing. We hope to provide a financially sustainable alternative to low-income women by introducing and supplying reusable menstrual products, including cloth pads and menstrual cups.

2)健康

不少來經者(尤其低收入社群)為節省月事用品的開支，或會減少替換即棄月事用品次數，導致使用時間過長，增加潛在健康風險。

2) Health

Some menstruators, especially low-income groups, intentionally reduce the frequency of changing for clean menstrual product in order to save on disposable menstrual products. This can lead to the use of products beyond the suggested time of use, and hence causes undesirable menstrual hygiene and potential health threats.

3)社會

我們期望透過工作坊、培訓月經教育大使等活動，加強普及月經健康及衛生教育，消除公眾對月事用品的誤解與疑惑，長遠以公眾教育解除根深柢固的月經禁忌和迷思。

3) Society

Through organising menstrual education workshops and training menstrual education ambassadors etc., we envision to popularise and strengthen menstrual health and hygiene education and eliminate misunderstandings about menstrual products. In the long run, we hope to shatter myths and misconceptions about menstruation with extensive and comprehensive public education.

4)環境

不能自然降解的即棄月事用品為環境帶來沉重負擔。因此，我們希望能為使用者提供安全衛生、經濟上可負擔而環保的月事用品，在減低環境傷害之餘，亦不必犧牲健康及增加每月生活開支。

4) Environment

Disposable menstrual products chiefly made of plastic are non-biodegradable and cause a huge burden on our environment. We hope to provide menstrual products that are safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable to our customers and beneficiaries, so that they can be kind to Mother Earth without having to sacrifice their health and suffer from higher living expenses.