New Delhi: The right to obtain free-period products is now protected by law for the first time in history in Scotland.
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act will go into effect tomorrow, requiring councils and educational institutions to offer period products free of charge to anyone who needs them (Monday 15 August).
The new law will solidify the progress made since the Scottish Government committed over £27 million to funding access in various public settings.
Today the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 comes into effect.
ℹ️ This means local authorities and education providers have a legal duty to make free period products available to anyone who needs them.
What we're doing to support ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qcIi0alsdl
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) August 15, 2022
Fundamental to equality and dignity
Shona Robinson
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said, “Providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to accessing them. This is more important than ever at a time when people are making difficult choices due to the cost of living crisis and we never want anyone to be in a position where they cannot access period products.”
She further said, “Since 2018, we have delivered ground-breaking action by providing free period products for pupils and students in all our schools, colleges and universities. We are proud to be the first national government in the world to take such action.”
“The work we are doing in Scotland continues to be world leading, going goes beyond provision of free products. We have also provided funding for an educational website for employers, run a successful anti-stigma campaign, and improved menstrual health resources available for schools,” she said.
“I’m grateful to all the young women and girls who have been crucial in developing the best ways to access products to meet their needs,” she said.
Collection points can be located through PickupMyPeriod App
People can find their nearest collection point through the PickupMyPeriod mobile app which was launched earlier this year by social enterprise Hey Girls with Scottish Government support.
Celia Hudson
Celia Hodson, founder of Hey Girls, said, “The Period Product Act shows Scotland is leading the way in recognizing that period products are not a luxury and should be freely available to all.”
“Through our PickupMyPeriod app, we work to ensure no-one in Scotland is left without access to period products and are well on the way to achieving that with more than 1,000 locations highlighted to users,” she said.
“We hope the Act will help those in need and that our app will be of support to many more as our network continues to grow,” she said.
