New Jersey

Period Poverty in New Jersey:

Many people see New Jersey as a developed, advanced, and well-off metropolitan state, never associating period poverty with it. However, period poverty is an issue that is affecting the lives of many New Jersey citizens, especially in areas where access to menstrual products is not readily available such as Jersey City . According to a survey conducted by The Flow Initiative, out of 100 Jersey City high school girls, 90% have needed menstrual products while in school and 86% believe that a lack of period products affects a girl's confidence and her ability to learn and focus. These concerns and deprivation of opportunities due to the lack of accessibility to period products is a reality for many as 1 in 8 women and girls in New Jersey between the ages of 12 and 44 live below the federal poverty line (2019, Alliance for Period Supplies). The lives of approximately half of our state's population should not be put into jeopardy due to the lack of resources, menstrual education, and financial support. That is why it is up to us to speak up and take action on this issue, fighting for the end of period poverty in the state of New Jersey.

Our Efforts:

In New Jersey, we will be hosting a period poverty panel on March 12, 2021, to discuss the problem of period poverty in our state and countrywide and the impact it has had in various aspects of life. We will also discuss the local, national, and international efforts already put in place to help end period poverty and learn how we can contribute to their causes. This will set us up for our state-wide call to action day taking place on March 14, 2021, where we will be encouraging people all over the state to reach out to their state district members to lobby for the NJA3388/S692: Requires school districts to provide feminine hygiene products in certain public schools and requires State to pay the costs. On this day, the NJ Girl Up Coalition Board will host an advocacy boot camp early on to provide you with the tips and resources needed to effectively convey to your state senators and assembly members why this bill is important to not only you but the better of our society, especially in times of a global pandemic.

What are we lobbying for?

We are lobbying for NJA3388/S692: Requires school districts to provide feminine hygiene products in certain public schools and requires State to pay the costs. We are asking for our district assembly members and senators to co-sponsor the bill if they have not already and to further progress the bill towards passing into law and bring it back into committee discussion after being put on pause earlier last year.

Events:

March 12, 2021; 5-6pm (EST): Period Poverty Panel, Sign Up Here

Description of the event: We will discuss the state of period poverty in New Jersey as well as the United States and the impact that it has had on the lives of many people that experience their menstrual cycle, especially during the time of a global pandemic. In addition to this, we will discuss the efforts that our panelists' organizations and lobbying efforts have done/been doing to fight period poverty and promote menstrual equity. Also, we will discuss what we can do to take action on this imperative issue, touching upon what we can do to further the progress of NJA3388/S692.

Panelists:

- Amy Goodman: co-led of the International Advocacy Day to End Period Poverty, part of Sanitree (sustainable menstruation products and helping efforts to end period poverty) & helped with lobbying efforts in Scotland to pass the country-wide free period products legislation

- Eiko La Boria: founder of The Flow Initiative: an initiative aimed to achieve menstrual equity by providing/advocating for menstrual product accessibility in all NJ schools and proper menstrual education

- Jennifer Gaines: program director for the Alliance for Period Supplies, an initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network that is comprised of programs across the country that help raise awareness for period poverty and distribute menstrual products to people in areas of need

March 14, 2021; Lobbying Day - Bootcamp at 12pm (EST) Sign Up Here

We will educate people on the contents and meaning of the NJA3388/S692 and provide them with the resources needed to identify their district members and contact them, expressing their concerns and why they believe their members should co-sponsor the bill. We will go over the logistics of lobbying and take you step-by-step on how to convey your message via email and via phone calls. We will encourage everyone to use the rest of the day to lobby for this bill and advocate to end period poverty in our state by enabling accessibility to period products in public schools.