NZ PM Jacinda Ardern Announces Free Sanitary Products For All Schoolgirls, Twitter Says ‘Is There Anything She Can’t Do’?

Emphasizing that sanitary supplies for a monthly period were not a luxury, but a necessity, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said many girls skipped school because they couldn’t afford pads and tampons.

Wellington: In an attempt to fight period poverty, the New Zealand government said on Wednesday that it will provide free sanitary products in schools across the country.

Emphasizing that sanitary supplies for a monthly period were not a luxury, but a necessity, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said many girls skipped school because they couldn’t afford pads and tampons.

“Nearly 95,000 nine- to 18-year-olds may stay at home during their periods due to not being able to afford period products,” she said in a statement.

“By making them freely available, we support these young people to continue learning at school,” Ardern said.

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New Zealand’s Minister for Women, Julie Anne Genter, also added: “Menstruation is a fact of life for half the population and access to these products is a necessity, not a luxury.”

Ardern further announced that the government will invest NZ$2.6 million into the initiative, which will be introduced during term three at 15 schools in the region of Waikato on the North Island.

The roll-out will first begin at 15 Waikato schools and will then be expanded to all state and state-integrated schools on an opt-in basis in 2021.

Twitterati was obviously impressed with Jacinda Ardern’s leadership yet again and showered praises on her:

One user wrote, ‘’I’ve got one heart. How many times will you win it. Your country has set so many examples for the world to follow in the last 2 years.”

Here are other reactions:

https://twitter.com/rammacheema/status/1268382397856350208

Not being biased but AMAZING things happen when you have a women in the leadership 💓
There are countries who put luxury tax on sanitary products and then there is NZ 🙌#WomenInPower #NewZealand #NZ #leadership @jacindaardern pic.twitter.com/neF27WnVwy

— Alveena Mir (@AlveenaMir) June 4, 2020

NEW ZEALAND: Freed sanitary products for all school girls. @jacindaardern

INDIA: Infused GST, had sanitary napkins marked as luxury & excised taxes. Then removed after nationwide protests. Prices reduced are negligible.

Which leadership we need?

— Khushi Ahir (@I_am_Khushi_) June 4, 2020

I'm so proud to be a kiwi with @jacindaardern as our prime minister Even after leading our team of 5 million through #COVIDー19 she cares enough about our young women to recognise a bodily function can cause distress and embarassment through povertyhttps://t.co/BfJvOfEAm0

— Mary-Ann de Kort (@matroked) June 4, 2020

This is a table of women discussing women’s issues in New Zealand and impacting change. Free sanitary products for schools! Amazing policy @jacindaardern xx pic.twitter.com/NK7lDU2R0P

— Rory Sherman (@rorysherman) June 3, 2020

According to The Guardian, schools in deprived areas were forced to use toilet paper, newspaper and rags in an attempt to manage their period. Hope this changes soon through this initiative!