In Colombia, where school uniforms are mandatory and positioned as tools for equality, menstruation care brand Somos Martina has taken that principle to its logical next step: integrating period underwear directly into the official uniform.
Across Latin America, 25% of girls regularly miss school because they lack reliable period care. Launched as a trial at Bogotá's Institución Educativa Mayor de Mosquera with backing from Colombia's Vice Minister of Education, the Period Uniform shifts menstrual equity from ad hoc distribution programs to standard practice. By listing period underwear alongside socks and shirts on the required items list, schools make protection standard rather than supplemental.
The approach leverages existing systems rather than inventing new ones. Schools already procure uniforms; adding period underwear to that supply chain makes access automatic and economically sustainable. Lasting up to three years with 12-hour protection, the product outperforms disposable period products on both affordability and environmental impact. Gynecologist Dr. Laura Gil emphasizes its suitability for young users: non-invasive, comfortable, and free from the irritation and health risks associated with tampons or pads.
Somos Martina has launched an awareness campaign, aiming to inspire public discussion and encourage not just Colombia, but governments across Latin America to adopt the model.
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Most period equity programs treat menstrual products as charity — temporary fixes distributed to those deemed "in need." The Period Uniform reframes the issue: if education systems already mandate what students wear in the name of equality, extending that mandate to include period protection isn't radical, it's overdue.
By embedding menstrual care into the systems schools already use, Somos Martina's initiative sidesteps the stigma girls face when singled out for special assistance. Instead, it makes dignity the default. As conversations about educational equity mature beyond symbolic gestures, expect more institutions to recognize that inclusion means designing systems where no one has to ask for basic necessities in the first place.