Since access to menstrual products is a basic human right, Scotland is offering them to women for free.
Period products are free in Scotland [Insider]
The gist
In Scotland, the government now has a legal responsibility to ensure that there are free sanitary products (tampons and pads) for every woman who needs them.
These products will be shared through councils and schools. The Members of the Scottish Parliament passed the Period Products (Free Provision) Bill in November 2020 but it is now in full force.
Why this matters
Period poverty is a situation where a woman is unable to afford menstrual products. It means she has to decide whether or not she should take care of her menstrual health or buy food.
In many countries, menstrual products are becoming unnecessarily unaffordable.
In Nigeria, it costs about N1000 to buy a good menstrual pad and even more to buy tampons and other alternatives.
Women have been advocating for access to menstrual products, especially for the underprivileged, and Scotland is the first country to do so.
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill says that women will be given free access to these products with reasonable ease and dignity.
This is a win for women’s reproductive rights in Scotland, it is hoped that many countries, like Nigeria, will follow suit.
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