'Hidden' poverty affecting thousands of women and girls

Almost 65 per cent of people have struggled to afford period products, one women's charity says. (Dan Peled/AAP PHOTOS)

Women are having to choose whether they will buy period hygiene products or other essentials due to the rising cost of living biting household budgets.

Almost 65 per cent of people have struggled to afford period products, with many resorting to old towels, toilet paper and, in some cases, bread, according to research by women's charity Share the Dignity.

"Not having access to period products impacts whether someone gets to go to school, work or university," charity founder Rochelle Courtenay told AAP.

"So many people don't know there are people living in their area who can't afford period products.

"Period poverty is happening in every community, in every postcode, and for too long it has remained hidden."

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On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, marked annually on May 28, Share the Dignity has released its mission statement to achieve menstrual equity by 2031.

Menstrual equity means the provision of menstrual products would be as available as toilet paper in workplaces, schools, council buildings and other public facilities, Ms Courtenay said.

"I want us to live in a world where it is not unusual for period products to be available in a public bathroom ... menstrual products are the last thing people should go without," she said.

A Share the Dignity survey on period poverty received responses from more than 150,000 Australians about their experiences.

It found one in four people would wear period products longer than recommended due to cost, while 78 per cent of people living with a disability had experienced period poverty.

The charity runs two dignity drives each year in March and August, where people can donate unopened period products or make a financial donation.

During the most recent drive, the least amount of products were donated - but the charity had the highest demand from people requesting donated supplies, Ms Courtenay said. '

"People who could previously donate could no longer afford it because they had to be putting that money towards fuel which had increased in cost," she said.