You may be reading this because you’ve noticed or used one of our Menstruation Stations, which are self-serve cabinets placed by us in easy-to-reach locations. Welcome! Neighborhood Feminists launched the Menstruation Stations project in August 2021 to better meet the rising need for period products. These cabinets can now be found across Amsterdam, with more to come. They’re stocked with free period products for anyone in need, no questions asked.

Is there a Menstruation Station near me?

Why Menstruation Stations?

Period poverty is all too real in neighborhoods across Amsterdam (and the Netherlands, for that matter). As proud as we are to live here, we also know that 1 in 5 people in this city live below the poverty line, and 2022 quantitative research concluded that 27% of Amsterdammers who menstruate struggle to afford period products. We find that unacceptable anywhere, but certainly in such an otherwise wealthy city. Through these Menstruation Stations, we’ve broadened our fight to end period poverty by making products available in public locations accessible to a wider population. 

But what’s period poverty?

Period poverty is the lack of regular access to needed period products and/or insufficient access to information on maintaining good menstrual health. Attention is increasing for the problem of period poverty; left unaddressed, it deepens the gender gap in education and work. Amsterdam’s own city council members formally passed a bill in March 2023 rightly recognizing that “access to menstrual products is a basic need and lack of access has negative effects on health…and contributes to gender inequity.”

We believe fighting period poverty is important, because it is as much a matter of equality as it is a matter of public health. People who menstruate need period products. They should be as easily available as toilet paper. We want to ensure this fundamental need is met for everyone who menstruates, so we’ve been taking action to help those in need now.

How do Menstruation Stations work?

Menstruation Stations are stocked with pads and tampons of assorted sizes. The idea is simple: anyone who needs products can go to a Menstruation Station and grab what they need to take home with them. We urge people to take whatever full package they need, knowing that they can use it at home and come back for more whenever it is finished. 

What’s the average cost for a Menstruation Station?

We depend on donations. We use 100% of the individual donations we receive to place bulk orders, benefiting from discounts and savings. As a result, we’ve been able to keep the prices of Menstruation Stations to a minimum. For just €40 a month, a Menstruation Station can be kept fully stocked. Of course, this cost will vary across Stations as some are placed in areas with heavier foot traffic, meaning they will need to be restocked more frequently. A full Menstruation Station contains enough products for at least 10 people’s full monthly menstrual cycles, while serving many more as most people take just 1 packaged product at a time.

How you can help

  • Support us with a financial donation, so we can continue to buy these needed items! As mentioned, we are able to place bulk orders, so by donating your money directly to us, we are able to make sure it goes a longer way. Find out more here.
  • Persuade your employer to support us! If you can persuade your company to get behind community support with direct impact, it’s just €500 to maintain one Menstruation Station for a full year. Any unspent funds (due to getting better deals in bulk, for example) will go toward expanding our Menstruation Stations project. You can let your employer know we have ANBI status, so their donation is tax-deductible, and they can review our annual reports to have a look at our finances.
  • Become a volunteer, and help us get more products to more locations across Amsterdam. If you have a driver’s license (a car is optional!), drop us a line here.