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In a landmark victory for the global movement against period poverty, Scotland has become the first country in the world to make menstrual products freely available to all who need them. The Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday, designed to create a legal obligation for the government to ensure sanitary products are free and accessible for all who menstruate, including tampons and pads in public facilities nationwide.
Under the bill, the Scottish government will be required to set up a nationwide scheme to allow anyone who needs period products to get them free of charge. Further, it will also require schools, colleges and universities to make a range of period products available for free. The bill’s financial memorandum estimates it could cost around £8.7 million a year by 2022, depending on the number of women who will take advantage of the free products, as per CNN.
The Bill was introduced by Scottish Parliament member Monica Lennon, who has been campaigning to end period poverty since 2016.After the vote, Lennon said the decision was “a signal to the world that free universal access to period products can be achieved.”
Because periods don’t stop in a pandemic, we didn’t give up. The final vote on the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill is on Tuesday. 💪🩸#freeperiodproducts
Thank you to every single person who has made this possible. ❤️
Latest news 👉https://t.co/jEmCiyjLe1 pic.twitter.com/fe5TFYrsOP
— Monica Lennon (@MonicaLennon7) November 22, 2020
“Periods don’t stop for pandemics and the work to improve access to essential tampons, pads and reusables has never been more important,” she added.
Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, posted on Twitter shortly after the vote on Tuesday evening that she was “proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation” and congratulated Monica Lennon.
“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. An important policy for women and girls,” Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote.
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. An important policy for women and girls. Well done to @MonicaLennon7 @ClydesdAileen and all who worked to make it happen https://t.co/4lckZ4ZYIY
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 24, 2020
Period poverty is when those on low incomes can’t afford, or access, suitable period products. A survey of more than 2,000 people by Young Scot found that about one in four respondents at school, college or university in Scotland had struggled to access period products, BBC reported.
Twitter was thrilled with the news and hailed the country for leading the way:
For women across Scotland, this is superb news.
It will go such a long way to ending the unacceptable existence of period poverty.
But it will also be well-received by every woman across the country, for we have all known that dread when we’ve been “caught out”. Nice one MSPs 👏 https://t.co/cQSlHWKxhK— Steph Brawn (@BrawnJourno) November 24, 2020
Scotland won’t be the last country to consign period poverty to history – but we are the first. Well done @MonicaLennon7 #perioddignity #worldfirst #periodproducts pic.twitter.com/4Er2vun6HJ
— Scottish Labour (@scottishlabour) November 24, 2020
How incredible is this:
Scotland has today become the world’s first Country to make pads/tampons/period products free for anyone who needs them.
The bill backed by members of Scotland’s parliament is here: https://t.co/ZaH7pm9PWN pic.twitter.com/CUPKSLAWyV— Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) November 24, 2020
A lot of work, huge collaboration & a world first. Scotland has a Bill to be proud of that locks in the progress we have made to tackle period dignity. Congrats to @MonicaLennon7 for leading the Bill & to all the activists and others who’ve done so much to make it happen💪 https://t.co/Car97jfw0b
— Aileen Campbell (@ClydesdAileen) November 24, 2020
Think I may have to move to Scotland 👀
This is such a good move and a step in the right direction! pic.twitter.com/R99OpFayAD— Sara ⁷ ❤️🤍💙 (@BoomiePeaches) November 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/rosiescammell/status/1331340281942315008
Scotland is setting an example to the world. Thank you for helping women! #Scotland 🙌🙌 https://t.co/n10sszXHXb
— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) November 24, 2020
Hats off!
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