Women rejoice! The Scottish government has become the first in the world to make sanitary products free to students. Females at schools, colleges and universities from across the country will have access to free sanitary products as part of the £5.2m scheme that aims to fight “period poverty” – when individual’s struggle to pay for basic sanitary products on a monthly basis, significantly affecting their hygiene, health, and wellbeing.
In a recent study conducted by organisation Young Scot, 25% of respondents struggle to pay for sanitary products. For Scotland’s nearly 400,000 female students, “period poverty” instances can result in missed classes, poor attendance and challenges at school due to the lack of sanitary product access.
Moving forward, Scotland is pushing to make tampons and pads free to all females, not just those who are students. Labour MSP Monica Lennon said she is introducing a bill to increase accessibility. “This is another great step forward in the campaign against period poverty. Access to period products should be a right, regardless of your income,” Lennon states.
Let’s hope the scheme makes it’s way across to New Zealand shores soon.
