On Monday, March 16, 2026, two members of the Girls Inc.’s U.S. Teen Advocacy Council (TAC) attended the United Nations 70th annual Commission on the Status of Women to speak on a panel about menstrual equity. They participated in a powerful conversation with representatives from PERIOD. and the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Clinic about menstrual education, period positive culture, and youth leadership.  

Each year, The Commission on the Status of Women brings together global leaders to take part in conversations addressing issues affecting women and girls.  The panel, titled “From Stigma to Justice: Youth Dismantling Period Discrimination in Policies and Practices,” highlighted U.S. youth-led efforts to advance access to menstrual justice and explored how Title IX can be applied to menstruation.  

Destini, from Girls Inc. of Long Island, and Sofia, from Girls Inc. of Westchester County, shared their personal experiences with menstrual education, and the representatives from the RBG Clinic connected them to tangible policies. Destini and Sofia emphasized how education about periods often differs significantly based on one’s school and family environment. Several policies mandate that schools offer menstrual health education, but the implementation varies greatly between states, counties, and schools. As a result, not all students receive the same quality of menstrual education. Sofia shared that in the absence of information in school, she relied on social media to learn about menstrual health. This can be challenging and dangerous, as there is a lot of misinformation online about menstrual health. Destini added that she was fortunate to have learned about periods from her family, stressing that family support is key to promoting menstrual health. 

The panel also discussed what a truly period-positive school culture would look like. Youth suggested solutions like making menstrual products readily available in bathrooms, removing restrictions on bathroom access, and providing menstrual education for all students, not just girls. The key call to action that resulted from the panel was to connect with others in your community who care about menstrual justice. The panelists agreed that community building is essential in creating period-positive policy and practices. 

The most impactful aspect of the event was the emphasis on youth as empowered changemakers. It is crucial to include young people as leaders in discussions about period poverty because this issue uniquely affects young people by creating barriers to education. PERIOD. found that 33% of teens report missing at least 15 mins of class time from a lack of access to period products, and 65% of teens have missed class time from symptoms alone. Ninety-three percent of teens have endured negative experiences participating in sports or extracurricular activities because of menstrual cycle symptoms. Menstrual equity is an essential part of education equality and youth voices like Destini and Sofia are vital to creating effective menstrual policy.  

CSW gave Girls Inc. TAC members an opportunity to share their perspectives with an international audience of fellow changemakers. The event served as a reminder of how platforming youth voices can create impactful discussions and meaningful action on today’s most urgent issues for women and girls.