Breaking barriers to menstrual equity

On January 22, Mary Seacole Hall at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus became the site of a groundbreaking step towards menstrual equity in Jamaica. The Period Panty Passion Project: Panty Pilot marked one of the first menstrual panty launches in Jamaica, and notably, one of the first to be hosted on a university campus.

The initiative was planned and curated by Sabrina Barnes, a 20-year-old youth advocate and UWI student who has made period poverty advocacy a central pillar of her work. Deeply inspired by and continuously collaborating with the HERFLOW Foundation, Barnes has committed herself to not only supporting existing efforts but also to creating her own impactful interventions aimed at ending period poverty among young women.

With the generous donations of Tracey Matalon and Christine Stebel, Barnes successfully galvanised 120 participants, creating a safe, engaging, and educational space for open discussion around menstrual health. Of those in attendance, 100 women participated in a structured educational session led by Shellyann Weeks, a menstrual health advocate and one of Barnes’ mentors. The session focused on menstrual care, sustainability, and the correct use and maintenance of reusable menstrual panties. At the end of the session, each of the 100 women received a menstrual panty, ensuring that education was matched with direct access to resources.

DIGNIFIED WAY

Speaking on the initiative, Barnes shared that the project reflected her vision for women across university campuses to have consistent access to menstrual products in a dignified way. She emphasised that menstrual care is a necessity, one that too many women and girls still struggle to afford.

This reality is particularly stark in Jamaica, where an estimated 42 per cent of schoolgirls miss school due to period poverty. Barnes acknowledged that the issue cannot be solved overnight but remains resolute in her approach: building community, raising awareness, and taking tangible action.

Rather than limiting her advocacy to conversation alone, Barnes has already distributed over 10,000 menstrual products to commuting students, students living on halls, and women in need over the past year. Through initiatives like the Panty Pilot, she continues to host educational sessions that build menstrual-health knowledge while creating safe, stigma-free spaces where women feel empowered, informed, and respected.

“I am starting with my community, my campus,” Barnes explained. “Not just by highlighting inaccessibility but by actively doing something about it.”

Her work stands as a clear example of youth-led leadership rooted in service. Far from being a “regular student”, Barnes is intentionally using her platform to drive meaningful, sustainable change. She remains steadfast in her mission, stating that she will not stop until every woman at UWI Mona has access to menstrual products, accurate information, and a stigma-free period experience.

The Period Panty Passion Project: Panty Pilot aims to be a statement of possibility, dignity, and action, signalling a future where menstrual equity is the standard.