Project V

Women smiling at their reflection

Our global change-driving initiative improving the intimate wellbeing of women+ and the world they live in

Project V logo

Why do we act?

1 in 4
Pregnancies end in miscarriage. Losses we suffer in silence. [i]
500 million
Up to 500 million women+ are living each month in period poverty [ii]
200 million
Girls and women have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) [iii]

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenging and often dangerous experiences women+ go through every day.

Text overlay: At Bodyform, we’re not afraid to tackle these attitudes. We created Project V to fight against this reality and help improve the wealth and wellbeing of millions.
Text overlay: At Bodyform, we’re not afraid to tackle these attitudes. We created Project V to fight against this reality and help improve the wealth and wellbeing of millions.

At Bodyform, we’re not afraid to tackle these attitudes. We created Project V to fight against this reality and help improve the wealth and wellbeing of millions.

OUR PURPOSE
Libresse in the rural Cambodian school
Cambodia

In January 2022, Libresse provided toilet facilities to a rural school in a village in Cambodia. Sample kits and period education booklets were donated to 300 students and teachers.

Libresse in the rural Cambodian school
Mexico

Since 2016, Saba and UNICEF have been partnering together in order to educate young girls on menstrual hygiene, this has reached 7.5 million people.

Mother smiling at daughter before school
Colombia

The project “Bullying for Loving” aims to empower children at school who are experiencing bullying and shame.

Cose in Commune visual
Italy

The intimate “Cose in Comune” focuses on breaking taboos around menstruation through awareness, open dialogue, education and aims to fight against period shaming in Italian schools.

Women offering one another support
France

France has an annual partnership with an association helping women in difficult situations regarding their health needs. Since 2019, Nana has been supporting them with financial support and by making donations.

Student discussion in a classroom
Netherlands

For years, Netherlands has been making menstruation and intimate hygiene a topic of discussion in secondary schools by giving guest lectures. They also donate towels liners to the Voedselbank every quarter.

Other Project V Initiatives

GVTT statistics

We're tracking
Our Global V-Taboo Tracker is our outgoing research project, designed to better understand taboos around wombs, periods, and vulvas; understanding is critical to making change.
READ ABOUT GVTT
Woman holding a new born baby

We’re listening

We believe our bodies and experiences should be heard and that learning from each other can help us all. Which is why we’re asking women around the world to share their #wombstories archive and bringing them into the open.
Three generations of women sat on a couch

Join the conversation
Read other stories and help break the silence by sharing your experience on social media. It’s time to make your voice heard.
Hear their stories
#PAINSTORIES banner

#PAINSTORIES
The more we share our #painstories, the more we dismantle the shame and silence that stops us getting the help we deserve. As part of Project V, we’re taking steps to lift the lid on women’s experiences of pain, to close the gender pain gap one story at a time.
FIND OUT MORE ​
Scene from short film

Tackling period stigma
Short films that give periods more screen time
FIND OUT MORE
artworks of uteruses with quotes on them

Ok, let’s talk intimate experiences
We all have them, so why don’t we always feel comfortable talking about them? Sharing yours can be fun and freeing.
Share you story

References

[i] https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/early-pregnancy/how-common-miscarriage

[ii] https://www.figo.org/month-after-month-period-poverty 

[iii] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation?

Women+

Essity knows that not everyone who menstruates is a woman, such as those born with a different biological sex to their gender identity, and that not all women menstruate, considering factors such as contraception, health conditions and menopause. By adding ‘+’ to women, Essity is recognizing and including the full range of underrepresented groups who use its products, such as trans and non-binary people.