Displaced Gaza women resort to unsafe measures amidst severe shortage of period products
Gaza (Quds News Network) – Amid catastrophic humanitarian conditions and a severe shortage of period products in Gaza, women and girls are resorting to unsafe alternatives to manage their menstrual hygiene, warns a report from the non-governmental organization ActionAid.
The NGO reported that some displaced women in Rafah are so desperate that they are resorting to cutting small pieces from the tents they rely on for shelter to use as makeshift period products, risking infection. The lack of water exacerbates the situation, making it nearly impossible for women to maintain proper hygiene. Some women reported going weeks without showering.
ActionAid quoted a staff member stating, “There is no water. I suffered during my period. There was no water available for me to get clean during my period. I had no sanitary pads for my own needs throughout my period.”
With Rafah currently hosting over a million displaced people, more than four times its usual population, in extremely overcrowded conditions, privacy is a luxury. UNRWA estimates that shelters in Rafah have only one toilet for every 486 people, leading to long queues.
Adara, a displaced mother of four, shared her experience, saying, “We suffer a lot whenever we want to go to the bathroom. We stand in line for a long time, and the bathrooms are far away.”
The lack of water, combined with a scarcity of soap, forces women and girls to use period products or substitutes for longer than is safe, posing a serious risk to their health.
The report highlights that individuals in Gaza are only accessing an average of 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day, falling below the 3 liters needed for basic survival and well below the minimum 15 liters required per person daily to cover all water and sanitation-related needs, including washing.
Riham Jafari, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator at ActionAid Palestine, emphasized the dire situation, saying, “Imagine having to manage your period with no period products, toilet paper, or soap, and no chance of being able to wash yourself – all while living cheek by jowl with other people without a moment of privacy.”
“This is the reality for hundreds of thousands of women and girls in Gaza right now. It isn’t just an affront to their dignity – it’s a real health hazard too,” she added.
Jafari highlighted the incredible resilience of women in Gaza but stressed that it is a fundamental right for women to manage their periods safely and with dignity.
