Scotland Successfully Tackles Period Poverty
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By Elaine Sanderson
Scotland has become the first in the world to make period products free to all. The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill, was approved unanimously on November 24. According to Bodyform ‘Period poverty’ means being unable to access sanitary products and having poor knowledge of menstruation, often due to financial problems.
As part of the bill:
The government must set up a Scotland-wide scheme to allow anyone who needs period products to get them free of charge
Schools, colleges and universities must make a range of period products available for free, in their toilets
The Scottish government will have the power to make other public bodies provide period products for free
There is now a legal duty from local authorities to provide period products for those who need them. Led by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, the four-year campaign was built upon the work of Scottish councils such as North Ayrshire. Since 2017, the council has provided free sanitary products in all secondary schools. It then rolled out the scheme to include all public buildings. The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill has ensured no one is left without options nationwide when menstruating. The provision is set to cost around £8.7 million a year.
Woman shops for sanitary products. (Getty Images)
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon celebrated the passing of the bill. She wrote on Twitter: “Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them.”
In a survey conducted by NPR of 2,000 Scottish students, they found one in four struggled to access period products. A further study by Plan International UK found 30% of girls aged 14-21 struggled to access sanitary products during the UK lockdown at the beginning of the year. 137,700 UK children miss school each year because of period poverty. The UK government made the products free within all schools in 2019. However, as schools were closed over a long period due to the pandemic, the potential relief of the scheme disappeared.
“Meeting the hygiene needs of all adolescent girls is a fundamental issue of human rights, dignity, and public health,” Sanjay Wijesekera, former UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene said.
Sanitary products are often taxed higher than other products, deemed ‘luxury goods’ in some countries. In 2018, professors Emily Waldman and Bridget Crawford wrote “The Unconstitutional Tampon Tax”. They said taking away tampon tax would lessen the gender gap. In 2017, UK supermarkets started covering the tampon tax themselves, - after the government refused to repeal it - cutting the price by around 5%. However, the government said the tax could not be disregarded due to EU rules. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said that the tampon tax will be abolished at the end of the Brexit transition period.
Monica Lennon said, “This law will ensure no one has to go without essential period products.”
Successfully tackling period poverty is going to enhance the lives of those who menstruate whilst facing financial difficulties. In time, it is hopeful to assume that the taboo surrounding periods will end.
Elaine is a political writer for La Tonique. You can follow Elaine on Twitter @sando_99.
