Scotland made history by becoming the first country to provide free and universal access to period products for all.

First Nation to Provide Free Period Products

Members of parliament (MSPs) passed legislation after 4 years grassroots campaign spearheaded by Monica Lennon.

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, successfully passed on Tuesday evening. It will place a legal duty on local authorities to make period products available for all those who need them, by providing free tampons and sanitary towels.

This legislation will make a massive difference to the lives of women and everyone who menstruates. Local and communal authorities played a major role in supporting period dignity. 

Periods are no longer taboo in the Scottish society. A couple of years ago, there had never been a debate of menstruation in the Scottish Parliament and now it is mainstream.

The menstrual industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, with countless products on the market.

Major Move to Reduce Period Poverty During this Pandemic

Period poverty has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many women struggle to pay for basic sanitary products on a monthly basis.

Women spend on average £13 a month to buy period products and a thousand pounds over a lifetime. They menstruate for about forty years in total.

There are several options for managing periods including organic pads, period panties, menstrual cups, tampons and maxi-pads.

The new law will enable women in Scotland to afford period products everywhere including schools and universities. 

Higher education institutions must make a range of period products available in their toilets for free.

In England, the majority of schools refused to register in the government's period product scheme despite teachers warning that period poverty has increased in the Covid-19 pandemic.