Good news for our Scottish neighbors: since Monday August 15, 2022, in Scotland, it is possible to get periodic protection free of charge. A “fundamental progress in terms of equality and dignity” (according to Scottish Minister for Social Justice Shona Robison) made possible by the entry into force of a law against menstrual poverty passed in 2020.
Very concretely: from now on, local authorities and Scottish schools and universities will have to offer free tampons and sanitary napkins to women who need them. In addition, an application (called “PickMyPeriod”) has been launched to help Scottish women find the nearest distribution points.
In France, 2 million women suffer from menstrual precariousness
This major breakthrough is “even more important[e] at a time when people are having to make difficult choices due to the cost of living crisis“, added the Minister for Social Justice.
In France, menstrual precariousness concerns about 2 million women, according to the Ministry of Health : for these, “access to sanitary protection is difficult or impossible for primarily financial reasons. This situation undermines their dignity, hinders the integration of thousands of women in precarious situations and increases the risk of dropping out of school. It is also a risk factor for health in case of insufficient renewal of protections.“
Currently, in France, only female students can benefit from free period protection: free tampons and sanitary napkins are available in university premises.
