No substantive social change occurs in isolation. For starters, it takes collaboration and communication, which is why we jumped in the train and headed for The Hague. Yesterday, Neighborhood Feminists brought the CODE RED research findings and recommendations to the Tweede Kamer (Dutch House of Representatives). To be more precise, we presented our 2024 report to the chair and several members of the Permanent Committee for Social Affairs and Employment (SZW).
We recognize that lasting solutions to period poverty in Amsterdam and other municipalities depend on a number of factors. Effective collaboration is an unmissable one. For this reason, we were very pleased to be able to present the report to MP Judith Tielen (VVD and SZW committee chair), MP Sarah Dobbe (SP), MP Esmah Lahlah (GroenLinks-PvdA), and MP Mariska Rikkers-Oosterkamp (BBB). (MP Tielen greeted us with a small laugh, saying she somehow had thought she was meeting with “Feminists on Fire” which we kind of liked, actually.)
Another factor for successfully addressing period poverty is accurately identifying and tracking it. That’s part of what we outlined in the report, and we were able to do so thanks to the dedicated researchers at Opinium. Thanks to their work in 2022 and this year, we could clearly show that targeted intervention works – and to what extent it works. So we know that at least 30,000 fewer people in Amsterdam now struggle with period poverty, when compared to our first study two years ago. This in itself is an object lesson in the value of working together. For this reason it felt deeply right to have Emily Dickinson and Tyas Ayuningtyas join us for the Code Red presentation, representing the whole Opinium team.
In 2024, Amsterdam’s rate of period poverty dropped from 27% to 14%, just above the current national rate of 13%. This means some 28,000 are still unable to pay for the products they need – and far more people face a regular struggle, managing by cutting down on food or other basics, borrowing money or using ineffective alternatives. So Amsterdam still has a way to go.
With support and collaboration, we’ll continue doing what we do, because we have a road map for making the missed opportunities, stigma and health risks linked to period poverty a thing of the past. There are still at least 28,000 who still experience it in Amsterdam alone. So let’s get to it together!
To read Tammy’s introductory remarks:
All photos by NF volunteer Nadine van der Wielen, to see more of her beautiful work go to Snap Me Pretty.
