The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 was enacted in November 2020 by the
Scottish Government, and received
Royal assent
Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
on 12 January 2021. It is the world's first legislation to make it mandatory for all public institutions to provide free
sanitary product
Feminine hygiene products are personal care products used during menstruation, vaginal discharge, and other bodily functions related to the vulva and vagina. Products that are used during menstruation may also be called menstrual hygiene product ...
s for
menstruation
Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized by the rise and fall of hor ...
including
tampon
A tampon is a feminine hygiene, menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation. Unlike a Sanitary napkin, pad, it is placed internally, inside of the vaginal canal. Once inser ...
s and
pads
Pads (also called leg guards) are a type of protective equipment used in a number of sports and serve to protect the legs from the impact of a hard ball, puck, or other object of play travelling at high speed which could otherwise cause injuries t ...
.
The act followed a campaign coordinated by
Monica Lennon
Monica Lennon (' Ward; born 7 January 1981) is a Scottish politician who has served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Central Scotland region since 2016. A member of the Scottish Labour Party, she has served in various roles ...
, MSP, the spokesperson on health for the
Scottish Labour
Scottish Labour ( gd, Pàrtaidh Làbarach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Labour Pairty; officially the Scottish Labour Party) is a social democratic political party in Scotland. It is an autonomous section of the UK Labour Party. From their peak of ...
party, and obtained all-party support in the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
. The provision will cost an estimated £8.7 million annually.
History
The campaign for free period products had been led by Scotland. In 2017 the country's first minister had announced that period products would be free in Scotland's schools. It has been noted that other public toilets have followed the lead offering free products or free with an "honesty box". Similar schemes for schools have been promised for Ireland in 2020. The Scottish government had originally proposed that free products should be available on a means tested basis but changed its proposals in February given the wide support in the Scottish parliament.
The legislation came into force on 15 August 2022, making Scotland the first country to make such a provision.
References
Menstrual cycle
Acts of the Scottish Parliament 2020
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