From Monday, Scotland will become the first country in the world to provide free and universal access to period products.
Local authorities and educators will now be legally mandated to ensure that period products are available for free to anyone who needs them, the Scottish government said in a statement issued on Sunday.
This follows the passing of the landmark bill, the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, in 2020 which solidifies the Scottish government’s efforts to make sanitary products such as tampons and sanitary pads accessible in public.
In November 2020, the Scottish parliament unanimously voted in favour of the legislation, which is based on Period Products in Schools (Scotland) Regulations that binds councils and schools to provide free products for students.
The bill has gone further in placing a legal mandate on ministers to ensure anyone can get access to sanitary products.
“Providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to accessing them,” Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison was quoted as saying by local newspaper The Press and Journal.
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“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 said.
“We are proud to be the first national government in the world to take such action,” she added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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