Scotland Ends Period Poverty: First Country to Make Tampons and Pads Free

Scotland has just made history as the first country to make sanitary products, like tampons and pads, free for all women in public facilities for the global movement against period poverty.

According to CNN, the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted in favor of the Period Products Bill on Tuesday, November 24, months after lawmakers have voiced their initial support for the movement. It will allow free and universal access to menstrual products in the country.

Scotland Ends Period Poverty

MSP Monica Lennon, the Labor health spokeswoman, pushed for the Period Products (Free Provision) Bill in the Scottish Parliament to bring the legal right to free access to female sanitary products, which got unanimous approval from the parliament.

Ms. Lennon said that the approval of the bill was a "practical and progressive" piece of legislation which is more important these days with the ongoing pandemic, Sky News reported.

"Periods don't stop for pandemics and the work to improve access to essential tampons, pads and reusables have never been more important," Lennon said.

She has been advocating against period poverty ever since she was elected to Holyrood in 2016. She expressed her gratitude for the approval of the bill, mentioning that Scotland is the first among countries to have made it possible for female sanitary products to be free in public places.

"We have got here because we have worked together. We have shown that this parliament can be a force for progressive change when we collaborate," Ms. Lennon told MSPs.

The bill received 121 votes of approval versus 0 points to non-approval after winning the support of the Scottish parliament and opposition parties in Holyrood. Indeed, the bill's approval is a significant moment for gender equality, Scotland's Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell.

Furthermore, the chief executive of the charity Plan International UK, Rose Caldwell, said that the Scottish government had shown the world that it is a pioneer of tackling period poverty in making the historic move of free access to sanitary products that would eliminate period poverty once and for all, most especially that household finances are in strain during this times.

Period Poverty in the UK

It is estimated that the bill could cost around £8.7 million ($11.5 million) a year by 2022 which will depend on the number of women that will take advantage of the products.

Its approval is seen as amove in acknowledging gender equality and women's rights and was praised by various groups and politicians across parties that represented the Scottish parliament.

In the UK, around one in 10 girls cannot afford period products according to Plan International UK's 2017 survey. Also, the survey found that girls aged 14 to 21 are embarrassed by their periods with almost half of them reported that they miss school days because during their periods.

The move from Scotland to legalize free access to sanitary products follows recent attempts to tackle period poverty. For instance, the government announced in 2018 that students in colleges and universities across the country would gain access to sanitary products with an investment of £5.2 million ($6.9 million).

Then in 2019, the government allocated £4 million ($5.3 million) to make tampons and pads free in libraries and recreational centers.

Additionally, in 2019 England has launched an initiative to provide sanitary products in schools, while New Zealand also did the same this year, CNN reported.