PERIOD poverty took eight million hits in the first six months of a world-leading Scottish Government scheme, it has emerged.
Leaders at Holyrood committed £5m to helping women and girls access free sanitary towels and tampons after campaigners revealed how many struggled to pay for the items every month.
The money helped deliver the goods in schools, colleges and universities across the country, with the aid of local authorities.
READ MORE: Scottish Government reveals £500k grant to help end period poverty
Provisions are in place to ensure younger learners do not miss out during school holidays, with some part-time students and distance learners also included by their institutions.
And the move, which involves every one of Scotland’s 32 councils, makes the Scottish Government the first in the world to roll out such an initiative.
Now it has emerged that more than 8m items were distributed in the first six months of the scheme.
On a visit to the University of Edinburgh to view how the scheme has been rolled out, Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Being able to access period products is fundamental to equality and dignity. We are committed to ensuring that a lack of access to products does not impact on a student’s ability to fully participate in education.
“It is important that we encourage people to challenge the stigma around periods and talk more openly about them. Removing the barriers to accessing period products helps that conversation. It has been great to hear about the different ways the products have been delivered and made available to those who need them.”
And Oona Miller, vice president for welfare at Edinburgh University Students’ Association, said: “We are delighted by the success of the free sanitary products initiative and we would like to thank the Scottish Government for their support.
“I would personally like to thank the university’s cleaning team, and staff at the Students’ Association’s Advice Place who have done so much to help, from monitoring and replenishing stock to placing the orders for what is needed.
“They have helped bring a sense of community and a valued service to those who need it.”
Provisional data collected by the Scottish Government suggests that almost 5,100,00 sanitary products were purchased by local authorities over the first six months of delivery, at a cost of £566,909 before VAT.
By February this year, all colleges and universities had made progress towards delivering the Programme for Government commitment to provide access to free sanitary products.
Based on the information available from 24 colleges, they had purchased almost 879,000 sanitary products by the end of the same period.
And, according to data from 19 universities, another 2,300,000 such items were purchased during that time.
The Scottish Government is providing up to £5.5m to continue delivery of this policy in 2019/20.
East Lothian social enterprise Hey Girls, which was founded to combat period poverty, was engaged as a major provider for the scheme. At the time of its announcement, founder Celia Hodson welcomed the decision as “a real milestone in the fight against” the social problem, which for many years went undiscussed.
It became headline news and a matter for legislators after campaigners pushed to tackle taboos and reflect the realities facing many women and girls across the country.
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