Scotland became the first country to legally secure access to free tampons and pads.
In the Scottish Parliament, the bill prepared under the leadership of Labor MP Monica Lennon, who has been campaigning on the issue since 2016, was unanimously approved in 2020.
‘The Menstrual Products Act’ went into effect today. According to the law, municipalities and educational institutions are obliged to distribute free products to those in need.
Lennon, “Local administrations and the organizations we cooperate with have made great efforts to distribute the products used during the menstrual period free of charge. This is a turning point” He stressed the importance of the law.
Emphasizing the importance of politicians coming together for the good of the society they serve, regardless of party, Lennon said that the practice that will eliminate the inequality between segments of society with different incomes is an example.
Minister of Social Justice, Shona Robison, underlined that free access to these products is vital for ensuring equality in society and continued as follows: “We are proud to be the first country to launch such an app. We think that it is very meaningful and useful in this period of increasing living costs. We want no one in this country who cannot access menstrual products.”