Instigated and organised by charity organisation Share the Dignity, the initiative seeks to provide the basic essentials for women and girls in crisis by making a call out for pads, tampons and personal hygiene products to distribute to women nationwide.

A huge number of local businesses and organisations have jumped on board to help, keeping pink collection boxes on site to allow people to easily make a donation.

Dignity founder Rochelle Courtenay said the organisation, through its bi-annual drive, helps in some small way to alleviate the undignified situations thousands of women across the country have to endure.

“So many women, every month, have to forfeit sanitary products because they cannot afford them,” Ms Courtenay said. 

“Many mothers have to choose between buying tampons and feeding their children. Girls miss out on school simply because families cannot afford to buy the basics of necessities.

“The drive touches on our need to collect 200,000 packets of pads and tampons for the undignified situations so many women have to endure. When they don’t have access to the essential feminine products, women become extremely resourceful…by using wadded up newspaper, or toilet paper, or socks. This should not be happening.”

It is one of the many reasons last month, Share the Dignity petitioned the federal government to put an end to taxing sanitary products.

“In less than a month we collected just over 104,000 signatures,” Ms Courtenay said. 

“Feminine hygiene products are not a luxury therefore they should not be taxed. Women who cannot afford them have no way of pursuing a normal public or private life and are at risk of jeopardising their health.”

To find your nearest drop box, please check the website.

You have until the end of April to make a donation.