RRAG

Reproductive Rights Advocacy Group

There are 116,000 people without a stable home across Australia as of the 2016 census. 42% of which are female, and 69% of which are of menstruating age. This means that there is over 33,000 people who cannot afford adequate reproductive healthcare. This includes access to pregnancy-related healthcare, contraceptive methods, sexual health protection and at the most basic level, access to sanitary items for period hygiene management. The taboo culture surrounding menstruation acts as a barrier for homeless and low-income people to exercise their rights to reproductive health care. 

This is why the Reproductive Rights Advocacy Group, or RRAG, has come together to fight for the rights of this vulnerable community. We are constituents who are passionate about the reproductive rights of Australia's homeless community. 

Our team is composed of individuals, who are enraged at the injustice happening in Australia. Our diverse backgrounds and academic focuses allow for a range of perspectives. As we expand, we will foster relationships with people who share core values with us, regardless of gender identity, sexuality, religion, or cultural background. 

Our values are as follows:

Respect:

We believe that every menstruator is capable of making their own decisions and respect each decision as their own. We facilitate the access to products but do not advocate for compulsory use.

Equity: 

No matter what social strata an individual belongs to, everyone is entitled to adequate access to the health services they need without having to suffer from financial distress. 

Community: 

The community has the right to access sanitary items to ensure menstrual health. As a community we have a collective responsibility to advocate, participate and lobby for this right to be met. We believe in creating a sense of community in order for all individuals to feel supported and heard.

We are beginning the fight for the rights of Australia's homeless menstruators by advocating for sanitary items to be provided in public bathrooms and community centres in Victoria. Our current goal is to pressure the Melbourne City Council Lord Mayor Sally Capp into approving a pilot initiative in the capital city. 

If you are interested in becoming an important part of this cause, please share this video and this open letter with your friends, and sign this petition. 

If you would like to learn more about us, please see our organisational memo.