Tampons might be given out for free in Scotland to tackle period poverty
When money is tight, or barely existent, we’d usually think that affording things like food and heating would be our greatest worries.
And while they’d be pretty high up there on the list, the absolute necessity that is buying tampons and sanitary products often gets forgotten by those who aren’t struggling financially.
So now, Scotland could become the first country in the world to provide women and girls with free sanitary products.
According to The Times, Scottish Labour’s inequalities spokeswoman Monica Lennon used International Women’s Day as an opportunity to announce her bid to bring forward a member’s bill at Holyrood.
If the proposal went through, schools would be legally required to provide free sanitary products for both students and staff.
Though Lennon also wants it to extend beyond this to be available to “anyone who needs them”.
The bid comes as charities such as the Trussell Trust have urged the Scottish Parliament to provide free sanitary pads and tampons to women on benefits.
Previously rolled out in New York, a similar policy saw period products being made free for more than 300,000 people in the US city, including women in prisons and homeless shelters.
In the Parliament’s first debate on ‘period poverty’ five months ago, Lennon pointed out the inaccessibility of sanitary essentials for many women in the country.
“It is an uncomfortable truth that not every woman and girl in Scotland can afford to buy essential feminine hygiene products when they need them,” Lennon told the chamber.
“What use is a free prescription for period pain relief, if low pay and insecure zero-hours contracts are forcing menstruating women to stuff their pants with toilet paper?
“What difference will the ‘attainment challenge’ make if you are a girl sitting in class with the embarrassment of a saturated sanitary towel between your legs?”
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