Scotland Passes Bill to Supply Sanitary Napkins for Free

What Does the ‘Period Products Act’ State?

While countries like America charge a Pink tax on sanitary napkins and tampons, Scotland becomes the first nation to supply free menstrual products. The Scottish Parliament had passed The Period Products Act recently which says that it is mandatory for all institutions to provide sanitary napkins and tampons for free. Period poverty is an issue that needs to be addressed and Scotland has come forward to tell the world how important it is to end it. Stats reveal that millions of young girls skip school and education because of the lack of awareness of proper menstrual hygiene and unavailability of sanitary napkins.

There are NGOs and private organizations who come in times of need to deliver free menstrual products. But there has been no regular availability of these products and women are often left in period poverty to wait for volunteers to bring them sanitary napkins.

This situation is well understood by the Scotland government and hence a bill was recently passed in the parliament to offer reasonable choice of different menstrual products for free. The parliament has always mentioned that women should be able to have easy access and privacy in getting these sanitary napkins rather than them looking for ways to find the products.

For easy access, Scotland will make the free sanitary products available in youth clubs and pharmacies. “ This will make a massive difference to the lives of women and girls and everyone who menstruates. There has already been great progress at a community level and through local”, says Monica Lennon, the Scottish Labour’s Health Spokesperson. She also added,” We ll agree that no one should have to worry about where their next tampon, or reusable pad is coming from”.

After Scotland, Wales and England have adopted the policy to offer free sanitary napkins and tampons. It is something that other developed and developing countries should think upon. Proper menstrual hygiene is every woman’s right and the government should take required steps to make sure that no woman is undergoing period period at any cost.