Scotland becomes the first country to offer free menstrual products to everyone who needs them as groundbreaking legislation comes into force
- Scotland’s Period Products Bill legally protects people’s right to sanitary ware
- Municipalities and education providers should make them available to people in need
- Put forward by Monica Lennon, the bill will go into effect tomorrow
- New mobile app highlights more than 1,000 collection points for the sanitary items
Scotland will become the first country in the world to legally protect people’s rights to free menstrual products from tomorrow when the groundbreaking legislation comes into force.
According to the Period Products Act, tampons and sanitary towels must be made available by municipalities and education providers to everyone who needs them.
According to the Scottish Government, “has invested over £27million to fund access to a range of public institutions’, and it says ‘the new law will cement this progress’.
The bill, which was introduced by Labor spokeswoman Monica Lennon and passed in November 2020, aims to eradicate period poverty and help households under financial pressure.
It was unanimously approved by the MSPs after winning the support of the Scottish government and the other opposition parties in Holyrood.
Periodic products, including tampons, sanitary towels and reusable products, should be made available by municipalities and education providers to everyone who needs them when the groundbreaking legislation goes into effect tomorrow
The measures are hoped to eradicate period poverty in the country and help households under financial pressure. Pictured: A supporter of the Period Products bill at a meeting outside Parliament in Edinburgh in February 2020, nine months before the bill was passed
When the bill was passed, Ms Lennon said it was a “practical and progressive” piece of legislation, all the more important given the coronavirus pandemic.
The Labor MSP, who has been working to tackle menstrual poverty since she was elected to Holyrood in 2016, said: ‘Periods don’t stop for pandemics and the work to improve access to essential tampons, pads and reusable products has never been more important. . ‘
She said: ‘As for the dignity of the period, I am beyond proud that Scotland is leading the way and we have developed at a rapid pace in a short period of time.’
Her bill passed by 121 votes to zero after winning the support of the Scottish government and the other opposition parties in Holyrood.
Ahead of the bill to come into effect tomorrow, Shona Robison, Social Justice Secretary, said: “Providing access to leisure products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to access.
“This is more important than ever at a time when people are making difficult choices because of the cost of living and we never want anyone to be in a position where they can’t access period products.
“Since 2018, we have taken groundbreaking action by offering free period products to students at all our schools, colleges and universities. We are proud to be the first national government in the world to take such action.
“The work we do in Scotland continues to lead the world and goes beyond offering free products. We also provided funding for an educational website for employers, ran a successful anti-stigma campaign and improved menstrual health resources available to schools.
“I am grateful to all the young women and girls who have been instrumental in developing the best ways to access products that meet their needs.”
Social enterprise Hey Girls has created a mobile app, PickupMyPeriod, that helps people find the closest pick-up point for the items.
Hey Girls founder Celia Hodson said: ‘The Period Product Act shows that Scotland is leading the way in recognizing that menstrual products are not a luxury and should be freely available to everyone.’
She added that the app currently highlights more than 1,000 pickup locations for users.