Period poverty grips Bosnia as major new drive launches for free products

According to the association JaBiHEU, period poverty remains a severely overlooked public health and social crisis. The group warns it directly undermines the health, dignity, education, and daily lives of young women across the country.

The initiative has already kicked off its first wave of educational activities, engaging around 300 people. Community discussions across the country focused heavily on the difficulties of accessing basic hygiene products and the persistent social stigma surrounding menstruation.

Campaigners stressed that period poverty is far more than a matter of personal hygiene, it is a fundamental issue of dignity, gender equality, and equal opportunities. They highlighted a worrying trend where financial constraints force some girls to use sanitary products for much longer than medically recommended.

Dr Erna Dzinic Ahmic from the Konjic Health Centre, who led several educational sessions, insisted that open dialogue is the only way to shatter deep-rooted taboos. She noted that taking part was an opportunity to raise awareness on an issue directly impacting the dignity of young people, adding that education is vital to building a society where menstrual health is no longer a taboo.

JaBiHEU Project Manager Lara Sutovic made it clear that the ultimate goal is to force the issue onto the political agenda. She stated that menstrual health must be integrated into public policies, state budgets, and the school curriculum, calling it a matter of collective social responsibility rather than an individual problem.

The next phase of the campaign will see high-street action days, information drives in shopping centres, and a pilot scheme rolled out across secondary schools. The project team also confirmed they will be lobbying relevant authorities to include menstrual health in official strategy documents and to secure state funding for free sanitary products in all schools.