One in six girls misses school due to periods — Estonian schools get a solution

A charitable initiative in Estonia is stepping up to address menstrual poverty in schools after statistics revealed that one in six girls has missed school or sports practice because of their period. The problem causes embarrassment and stress among thousands of Estonian schoolgirls. The new initiative aims to reduce absences and support students' wellbeing.

A new charitable initiative in Estonia is tackling a largely hidden problem: thousands of schoolgirls missing classes because they lack access to menstrual products or feel too embarrassed to attend school during their period. According to alarming statistics, one in six girls in Estonia has had to stay home from school or skip sports practice because of menstruation.

A hidden problem in Estonian schools

Menstruation is a natural part of life, yet for many young people in Estonia it has become a source of stress, shame, and missed opportunities. The scale of the issue — affecting roughly 17% of schoolgirls — points to a broader challenge around access to sanitary products and the social stigma that still surrounds the topic in educational environments.

The initiative aims to change this by making menstrual products more accessible directly in schools, reducing the chance that a student is caught unprepared and forced to go home. Supporters of the project argue that missing even a few days of school each month can have a cumulative negative impact on girls' academic performance and participation in extracurricular activities.

Steps toward a solution

By bringing menstrual hygiene products into Estonian schools, the charitable effort hopes to normalise the conversation around periods and remove the practical barriers that lead to absences. Advocates say the solution is straightforward: when products are available and students feel supported, attendance improves and the stigma begins to fade.

Similar programmes have already been rolled out in countries such as Scotland, which became the first country in the world to make period products free and universally available in schools and other public buildings. Estonia's initiative reflects a growing European awareness that menstrual poverty is a real equity issue — one that affects not just health, but education and equal opportunity.