Ending period poverty in your classroom with new legislation
In a landmark movement, the Scottish Government is set to vote on legislation that will tackle period poverty.
Today we’re talking about periods. Period.
We’re outside @ScotParl at the #FreePeriodProducts rally, urging MSPs to listen to girls and young women and make #PeriodPoverty history! Tweet us if you’re here too! pic.twitter.com/NCXrriPDhZ
— Girlguiding Scotland (@GirlguidingScot) February 25, 2020
All you ladies out there will experience a period at some point in life, and, phew, can it rack up the money.
Fun fact: the average cost of a period in the UK over a year is £500. That’s a one-way ticket to Thailand for comparison.
So, it’s no surprise that many young girls and women are experiencing period poverty. But, thanks to campaigning tampons, sanitary pads and some reusable products are funded in schools, colleges and universities.
CHANGE
More still needs to be done to tackle period poverty. And Labour MSP Monica Lennon has put forward new legislation to make sanitary products available free to all.
After concerns over cost, all parties in the Scottish Government have made a U-turn meaning the plans have been endorsed to ensure free sanitary products.
The Period Products (Free Provision) Bill is currently at its first parliamentary stage.
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
The Scottish Government has confirmed they WILL back the general principles of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill.
A massive victory for campaigners and activists #freeperiodproducts #perioddignity pic.twitter.com/hN8vC0aXkA
— FreePeriodProducts (@Period_Poverty) February 19, 2020
IN THE OPEN
With all this exciting change, it’s important to be open about periods – they happen every month, after all.
And one school is bringing periods out into the open.
Pupils at St Paul’s High School in Glasgow are involved in a scheme where older pupils have been trained to talk to S1 girls about periods and period poverty.
Speaking about the scheme, Caitlin from St Paul’s High School said: “Period poverty means that girls can’t afford to buy sanitary products.”
.@MonicaLennon7 tells Capital why she wants the Scottish Parliament to get behind her #freeperiodproducts bill today. #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/J64b87jlYx
— CapitalScotland News (@CapitalScotNews) February 25, 2020
And Amy agreed: “This means that some girls are feart to come to school and don’t want to leave the house at all.”
Since the 2018/19 academic year, free period products have been available after a survey of over 2,000 people by Young Scot revealed that one in four respondents at school, college or university in Scotland had struggled to access sanitary products.
Amy added: “It’s a right that every woman should have that they should be able to access free sanitary products.
“It’s not like it is a luxury item or anything. We need them.”
How would you like your school to tackle period poverty? Let us know on Twitter and Instagram.
