Maine Mura: Girls with Dignity, closing the period poverty gap in the Cook Islands

COOK ISLANDS - Silivia is 13 and comes from Aitutaki, an island in the Cook Islands. She loves going to school, playing sports and seeing her friends, but every month for about a week, she is unable to attend school or take part in her favourite activities. 

Like millions of other women and girls around the globe, Silivia is affected by period poverty, defined as the lack of or inadequate access to safe and hygienic menstrual tools and education, including but not limited to sanitary products, washing facilities and waste management options.

“It is common across the Pacific region for period talk to be a taboo subject. This is the reason why we need projects like Maine Mura.” - Alanna Smith, Senior Project Coordinator at Te Ipukarea Society

Gender inequalities, poverty, humanitarian crises, natural disasters and harmful traditions can exacerbate period poverty and turn menstruation into a time of exclusion, deprivation and stigma, which can result in safety and health issues for girls and women, and undermine women and girls’ enjoyment of fundamental human rights, while reinforcing gender inequality.

To close the gap in period poverty, counteract the stigma and discrimination around menstruation and create new, empowering narratives around women’s natural period cycle, Te Ipukarea Society (TIS), a grantee of the Spotlight Initiative, delivered 'Maine Mura*: Girls with Dignity', a series of workshops to alleviate some of the pressure associated with period poverty while promoting sustainable ways to manage periods and reduce waste, alongside Cook Islands Family Welfare Association, and in partnership with the local civil society organizations, schools and advocacy groups for women and girls.

Talking about menstruation may feel awkward at first, even embarrassing. The series of workshops is building a safe space where women and young girls are encouraged to talk openly about their periods and the implications of period poverty in their lives. By facilitating the sharing of stories, the programme is normalizing the narrative around periods.“It is common across the Pacific region for period talk to be a taboo subject. This is the reason why we need projects like Maine Mura, because it works towards breaking these exact stigmas amongst our young Cook Island women," said Alanna Smith, Senior Project Coordinator at Te Ipukarea Society. "The project also benefits the environment with lessons on waste management and contributes to women’s resilience by providing solutions that improve financial sustainability.”

“I really enjoyed Maine Mura. It inspired me with so many products, such as cups, period underwear or reusable pads, that we didn’t even know about. Now I feel I am not alone.” - Temarii, 14 year-old from Mangaia

For women and young adults to have access to these conversations and products, where they can take care of themselves physically, as well as take care of the environment is really a win-win situation. Maine Mura was an even greater resource for remote regions like the outer islands, where supplies and information are less accessible.

“I really enjoyed Maine Mura, it really inspired me with so many products, such as cups, period underwear or reusable pads, that we didn’t even know about," said Temarii, a 14 year-old from Mangaia. "Now I feel I am not alone, I too can talk about periods. I know that there are sustainable solutions out there and that there is a community around me ready to support me.”

Period poverty is a human rights violation. Menstruation is intrinsically related to human dignity; when people cannot access safe bathing facilities and safe and effective means of managing their menstrual hygiene, they are not able to manage their menstruation with dignity.

The impact of small grants projects such as Maine Mura goes way beyond the immediate needs of women and girls. In fact, it empowers local and grassroots women’s rights organizations, while strengthening women’s resilience and creating an enabling environment for girls and women to experience their period in a safe and healthy manner. 

Period poverty is not a women’s issue, it is a community issue. Every time a girl misses school because of her period, it is the loss of an entire community. Communities rely on the young generation of girls and boys to become the change-makers that will ensure sustainability and prosperity to the islands. Projects such as Maine Mura are making period poverty history. 

(*)  Maine can be referred to as “young woman” and mura means “red”. In the Cook Islands, there is a well-known childhood song called Maine Mura and it is all about young women dressed in red having fun dancing.