New Zealand: Free sanitary napkins at school, against period poverty

While in Italy, sorbents (excluding compostables) are Taxed as luxury goods (VAT at 22%), in New Zealand NZ$25 million has been allocated to a program that ensures this Free sanitary napkins for all schoolgirls.
The decision was announced by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern: From June 2021The state will distribute sanitary pads and other menstrual hygiene products free of charge to all schools. It’s a three-year program designed to combat a problem that’s rarely talked about but can no longer be ignored: the inability to access menstrual products. According to research cited by Ardern, one in twelve female students is forced to do so on a regular basis Skip school days Because he can’t buy sanitary pads and medicines to relieve period pain. This phenomenon is called “menstrual poverty”, especially during the Covid period, it seems that families have increased unable to guarantee their daughters these basic commodities.

Improving the well-being of students

According to Ardern, the project will be able to fight menstrual poverty in a short time, helping to reduce hours of absence from school and increase the participation and well-being of female students: “Young people should not lose their education because of something that shapes the normality of life for half the population,” Ardern said. According to experts, menstrual poverty also affects school grades, so a direct intervention by the New Zealand government in providing free sanitary pads could also have an impact. Positive impact on the educational level. A similar measure was announced in November 2020 by Scotland, which unanimously passed a law, starting this month, to make all menstrual-related products free: it is the only country in the world to do so so far.