One in five girls and young women in the UK are teased or bullied about their periods, with many suffering in silence, according to research.

Of the 20% of 14- to 21-year-olds to tell pollsters they were targeted, nearly half (49%) said they had not spoken to anyone about the abuse. About 67% said abuse mainly happened at school, and 66% said they had missed classes because of their period.

The study, based on a survey of 1,000 females, was published by Plan International UK on Tuesday to coincide with the women and equalities minister, Penny Mordaunt, announcing the charity as co-chair of the government’s period poverty taskforce.

It will work with the Government Equalities Office and Procter & Gamble to try to tackle stigma and boost education about periods.

Accessibility to period products would be examined as well as the 5% VAT on tampons and sanitary towels, known as the “tampon tax”.

Plan International UK’s chief executive, Tanya Barron, said girls were “facing unacceptable stigma and shame linked to their periods”.

“Not only is this damaging girls’ confidence and self-esteem, it’s also having an often-overlooked impact on their education. Girls tell us they are missing out on school because of their period and struggling to catch up on schoolwork as a result. We can’t allow this to continue.”

It was announced earlier this year that tampons and other sanitary products will be given out free in England in schools and to hospital patients.

Mordaunt said: “For too long women and girls in the UK have faced unnecessary adversity around their periods, that is why we have formed this new taskforce.

“Our two new co-chairs, Plan International UK and Procter & Gamble, have already produced impressive work around the country to improve access to period products and change old-fashioned attitudes to menstruation and break down taboos.”