The true cost of periods

Periods. We rarely talk about them but half the world's population will have to manage menstruation for a good chunk of their lives.

For some women, their monthly period brings shame and stigmatisation, as they are forced out of their communities. Others simply can't afford the products they need to carry on with their lives.

Ruth Evans reports from Nepal on some of the challenges and the solutions being developed, to help improve the lives of millions.

We also hear from Janie Hampton, of World Menstrual Network, who's calling for drastic change in the way periods are managed, not just in poor communities but in the developed world, too.

(Photo: A Nepalese woman steps out from a 'chhaupadi house' in the village of Achham, Nepal. Isolation is part of a centuries-old Hindu ritual where women are prohibited from participating in normal family activities during menstruation and after childbirth. Credit: Getty Images)