Starting October 1st, France is introducing reimbursement for reusable menstrual underwears for people under 26 and women in precarious situations, with quality standards built in. When I saw the news, my first instinct was the classic: "Good for them. But what about Belgium?"
So I looked for the Belgian equivalent and here what I found. The complete list of links is at the end of this small article.
The thing that is easy to understand: no national reimbursment
RIZIV/INAMI makes no specific provision for menstrual products. What does exist is pretty fragmented: partly through health insurance funds, partly through certain municipalities, and quite a lot of nothing in between :)
Health insurance funds: what they cover (or don't)
The Christian Mutuality offers up to €75 per year. Partenamut, up to €25. Solidaris has no direct provision for menstrual products, but does reimburse contraception and supports free distribution through its partner organisations. The ML will give you back a max. of 30 euros if you bought the product through their shop and if you're in between 12 and 25 years old.
If you have more recent information, let me know.
Municipalities: a very uneven map
In Brussels, only Etterbeek has introduced a subsidy for reusable menstrual products: up to €50, covering 50% of the purchase, paid in Broebel (the municipality's local currency). Only reusable pads and period underwear are eligible.
In Brabant Wallon, Lasne and Rixensart reimburse up to €75 (50% of the invoice), Mont-Saint-Guibert up to €50. Eligible products vary by municipality: menstrual cup, period underwear, reusable pads.
In the province of Liège, I found contradictory information but you might find some help through a project called "Sang toi Libre"
In the Flemish region, the only information I found was the city of Maldegem who was giving menstrual product in the toilets of their cityhall and in their high schools.
What this actually tells us
To be honest, what it tells us is also what it doesn't. I never knew that some mutuelles were reimbursing menstrual products. I never heard that cities and communes sometimes were offering help. It could tell us that what's missing is really a national and organised initiative to give people who need the most the access to these products that are so expensive.
This is not really a criticism of the municipalities or funds that are making genuine efforts. But without a national framework, access is deeply unequal.
For those who cannot access any of this
These subsidies assume you have the budget to buy the products first and claim the reimbursement afterwards. Yet 30% of menstruating people in Brussels experience period poverty. For them, even a €50 subsidy does not solve next month's problem.
This is why initiatives like Bruzelle matter. This Brussels-based non-profit collects menstrual products and redistributes them free of charge, with dignity, in care packs assembled by volunteers. It also runs community sewing workshops to make pouches and period underwear together. Highly recommended even if you can't sew.
Find out more at bruzelle.be
The full list of links
MC: https://www.mc.be/fr/avantages-remboursements/protections-menstruelles
Partena: https://www.partenamut.be/fr/remboursements-avantages/prevention/culottes-menstruelles
ML : https://www.lm-ml.be/fr/avantages-et-services/ml-mutplusbe-intervention-produits-menstruels
Partena: https://www.partenamut.be/fr/remboursements-avantages/prevention/culottes-menstruelles
ML : https://www.lm-ml.be/fr/avantages-et-services/ml-mutplusbe-intervention-produits-menstruels
Etterbeek: https://etterbeek.brussels/fr/demarches/primes-et-subsides/prime-protections-hygieniques-lavables
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
abgjstwdwcctoswv4mprofessionalsgriddeve34nfa
