New Zealand to offer free sanitary products to all schools

Women's sanitary products are seen on the shelves inside a supermarket in Mexico City
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Leah Sinclair19 February 2021

New Zealand will offer all schools free sanitary products in a bid to stamp out period poverty.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti said that all primary, intermediate, secondary, and kura (Maori language) school students will have access to free period products from June this year, following a successful pilot last year in 15 schools.

The move comes amid fears that some students are skipping classes because they cannot afford sanitary products such as tampons and pads.

“Young people should not miss out on their education because of something that is a normal part of life for half the population,” said Ms Ardern.

“Removing barriers to healthy, active, educational outcomes for children and young people is an important part of the Government’s Youth and Wellbeing Strategy.”

MPs Return To Parliament For First Cabinet Meeting Of 2021
Jacinda Ardern
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Ms Ardern added that providing free period products at school is one way the Government can “directly address poverty, help increase school attendance, and make a positive impact on children’s wellbeing.”

“We want to see improved engagement, learning and behaviour, fewer young people missing school because of their period, and reduced financial hardship amongst families of participating students.”

The scheme will cost the New Zealand government NZ$25 million (£13m) from now to 2024.

Around 3,200 young people were provided with sanitary products during the pilot scheme last year and Ms Ardern said positive feedback from the programme encouraged them to expand the initiative.

“Feedback from the pilot noted that providing choice was important, both in types of products and the way they are accessed”, added Minister Tinetti.

“Students also said they wanted information about periods, period products, and other practical elements of managing their period such as tracking and knowing when and who to reach out to for assistance.”

Up to 500 million women and girls are living each month in period poverty around the world.

Last year, Scotland became the first country to make period products free for all, with MSPs approving the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill in November.

In England, the government launched a period product scheme in 2020 for state schools and colleges which has been extended through to 2021. The scheme allows students at all state-maintained schools and colleges to have access to free period products in their place of study.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak also announced that the tampon tax would be abolished which came into effect on January 1 2021.

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