Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill

Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations

In news

• The Scottish parliament passed a landmark legislation that has made period products such as sanitary pads and tampons free of cost to those people who need them.
• The bill is titled, “Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill”.

Key takeaways

• Scotland is the first country to take such a step.
• The bill was passed with the aim of tackling “period poverty”, which is when some people who need period products struggle to afford them.
• Central objective: To end the silence and stigma that surrounds menstruation.
• Aim: (1) To remove gendered barriers; (2) To ensure that those who menstruate have reasonably convenient access to period products free of charge.

Do you know?

What is ‘period poverty’?

• Certain circumstances make access to sanitary products difficult for women and trans people.
• These include homelessness, coercive, controlling and violent relationships and health conditions such as endometriosis.