On Tuesday 24th November, Scotland became the first country to make sanitary products free. It is the first nation in the world to take a step against period poverty, which refers to the prevalent phenomena of being unable to afford products such as pads or tampons to manage menstrual bleeding.
With this new bill, called the Period Products (Free Provision) sanitary products will be available free of cost at designated public places. These public places include community centres, youth clubs, and pharmacies. According to Reuters, the estimated annual cost to taxpayers will be 24 million pounds.
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“No one should have to worry about where their next tampon, pad or reusable is coming from. Scotland will not be the last country to consign period poverty to history, but we have the chance to be the first,” said Scottish Labour MP Monica Lennon, during the debate.
See tweet below
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
According to Reuters, in 2017 a survey by the children’s charity plan international revealed that in Britain, 10 percent of girls have been unable to afford sanitary products.
Now that Britain has left the European Union (EU), by January 2021, tampon tax will also be abolished, British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said.
Thumbs up to Scotland for making sanitary products free for women of all ages. We hope other countries take a cue from them to put an end to period poverty.
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