Scotland has become the first country in the world to make period products free for all. Local authorities in Scotland now have a legal duty to ensure that period products are available to ‘anyone who needs them’. This is even more important now during the pandemic where more people are unable to afford them.
A recent survey in Scotland found that one in four young people in education had struggled to access period products, and about one in ten girls in the UK are unable to afford them.
As well as addressing the issue of period poverty this legislation also addresses the stigma and embarrassment surrounding periods and the impact on education. As we know, girls are absent from school because of a lack of period products, and so miss out on vital education.
This is an amazing result for all girls and women in Scotland and for all the menstruation campaigners. Let’s hope that the governments in the rest of the UK and around the world will follow Scotland’s lead.