The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) is partnering with Positive Period Ireland, and We Are Riley to gift free period packs to affiliating boxing clubs in Ireland to fight period poverty and support female boxers.
This movement launched as part of the IABA’s celebration of the Day of the Girl in their Women in Sport pillar of programs, led by WIS Lead, Louise McKenzie.
We Are Riley is a producer based in Cork that manufactures ethical and sustainable period products. Riley prioritizes biodegradable products and packaging and a clean supply chain made with no bleach, toxins or harmful chemicals. Founded by three friends on the foundations that female bodies deserve more, they built a business that delivered a better way of period care right to your door.
The packs given to various boxing clubs will contain tampons, applicator tampons and pads to suit every woman's need while they are in training and will be delivered to over 350 boxing clubs across Ireland.
IABA is gifting period packs to over 350 boxing club to combat period poverty & to support boxers in partnership with @periodspositive and @We_Are_Riley
This unprecedent initiative is part of our celebration of #InternationalDayOfTheGirl#IABA.Period pic.twitter.com/d8ncfOPxXB— IABA (@IABABOXING) October 11, 2022
McKenzie, a former competitive boxer, is now a coach. “No boxer should have to pause their training or competing because they don’t have access to period products – this partnership means that boxers in every club in Ireland will have in-club access to a variety of free, and sustainably produced, period products. The gifting of period packs to boxing clubs also continues a conversation about periods, training and competing. That’s a dialogue in that’s already happening in many clubs, supported by IABA #FollowHerLead coach education seminars on the menstrual cycle and coaching teenage girls”
Clare Hunt of Positive Period Ireland is delighted to be a part of such an impactful initiative “We all need to work together to break the silence and help women and girls stay comfortable and active during their period. Sport has a massive platform, which can be used to start a conversation about periods in a space that you would never expect!”
The Period Panel w/ Homeless Period Ireland - YouTube
A 2018 Plan International Survey in Ireland found that 50% of girls aged 12-19 reported occasional experience of period poverty and 10% reported use of "less suitable sanitary products", for reasons of cost. This partnership is a great step in the right direction about ending period poverty and breaking the stereotypes about periods, not only in sports, but once and for all.
