m ndeling
menstrual products should be free for all women in the Netherlands
Introduction
In Scotland, they've made menstrual products free for anyone who can't a ord them. This
makes Scotland the first place in the world where these products are widely free of charge.
In January of this year, the 'Hey Girls' company launched an app with a grant from the
Scottish government, PickupMyPeriod, which locates the nearest distribution points for
menstrual products. Nevertheless, there are also more distribution points in our country,
which are set up by individuals, but I think menstrual products should be free for all women
in the whole country.
Arguments
Period poverty is reduced with free menstrual products.
Period poverty is a worldwide problem and it means that not everyone always has enough
money to purchase period products. According to the World bank, 500 million girls and
women don't have acces to menstrual products.
In the Netherlands has 9% of the women between 12-25 too little money to buy what is
needed during a period. About half of the women said they had to choose between buying
food or feminine products at some point in the year. This is often di cult to discuss,
because there is a shame around both poverty and menstruation.
Lack of education and conversation around periods can give rise to shame about this
perfectly natural, healthy bodily function. In turn, this pushes the conversation away from
periods and prevents girls and women feeling comfortable about asking for what they
need. Neighborhood cabinets and other free collection points can break the taboe and
women don't have to worry about money for their period.
Free menstrual products prevents infections.
Free menstrual products also prevents infections by girls who don't have enough money to
purchase period products. When these products are a financial challenge to buy, women
will use alternative products like toilet paper, old cloths or they will reuse their pads
causing them to get irritations or infections.
Menstruation is a basic fact of human existence. So menstrual hygiene products are
necessities, not luxuries, and should be treated as such. Even though tampons and other
period products are an essential need for women, consumers still have to pay a sales tax
on them. In the Netherlands these products are taxed with 9%. The average woman will use
about 240 tampons a year, which comes out to about 50 euros each year with tax. So free
period products will save money and women don't have to use alternative products which
can cause infections.
Free period products save on waste.
An estimate stated that women spend over $2,000 in their lifetime on replacing underwear
that has been ruined by leaks. By making period products free and accessible in all public
washrooms, not only are we saving money on the cost of pads and tampons, but we are
saving on the cost of potentially ruined underwear — and the waste that goes along with it,
because females don't have to use toilet paper or something else that's not an menstrual
product which causes more leaking.
It prevents girls who call in sick on their period and miss school.
Lack of acces to menstrual supplies can have an impact on education. Without acces to
products, students often call in sick for fear of leakage and embarrassment. Fear of period
leakage prevents students from being able to focus in class and that can overall impact
educational outcomes. Without shame and fear, students have more opportunity to be
successful in school, which is always a plus.
menstrual products should be free for all women in the Netherlands
Introduction
In Scotland, they've made menstrual products free for anyone who can't a ord them. This
makes Scotland the first place in the world where these products are widely free of charge.
In January of this year, the 'Hey Girls' company launched an app with a grant from the
Scottish government, PickupMyPeriod, which locates the nearest distribution points for
menstrual products. Nevertheless, there are also more distribution points in our country,
which are set up by individuals, but I think menstrual products should be free for all women
in the whole country.
Arguments
Period poverty is reduced with free menstrual products.
Period poverty is a worldwide problem and it means that not everyone always has enough
money to purchase period products. According to the World bank, 500 million girls and
women don't have acces to menstrual products.
In the Netherlands has 9% of the women between 12-25 too little money to buy what is
needed during a period. About half of the women said they had to choose between buying
food or feminine products at some point in the year. This is often di cult to discuss,
because there is a shame around both poverty and menstruation.
Lack of education and conversation around periods can give rise to shame about this
perfectly natural, healthy bodily function. In turn, this pushes the conversation away from
periods and prevents girls and women feeling comfortable about asking for what they
need. Neighborhood cabinets and other free collection points can break the taboe and
women don't have to worry about money for their period.
Free menstrual products prevents infections.
Free menstrual products also prevents infections by girls who don't have enough money to
purchase period products. When these products are a financial challenge to buy, women
will use alternative products like toilet paper, old cloths or they will reuse their pads
causing them to get irritations or infections.
Menstruation is a basic fact of human existence. So menstrual hygiene products are
necessities, not luxuries, and should be treated as such. Even though tampons and other
period products are an essential need for women, consumers still have to pay a sales tax
on them. In the Netherlands these products are taxed with 9%. The average woman will use
about 240 tampons a year, which comes out to about 50 euros each year with tax. So free
period products will save money and women don't have to use alternative products which
can cause infections.
Free period products save on waste.
An estimate stated that women spend over $2,000 in their lifetime on replacing underwear
that has been ruined by leaks. By making period products free and accessible in all public
washrooms, not only are we saving money on the cost of pads and tampons, but we are
saving on the cost of potentially ruined underwear — and the waste that goes along with it,
because females don't have to use toilet paper or something else that's not an menstrual
product which causes more leaking.
It prevents girls who call in sick on their period and miss school.
Lack of acces to menstrual supplies can have an impact on education. Without acces to
products, students often call in sick for fear of leakage and embarrassment. Fear of period
leakage prevents students from being able to focus in class and that can overall impact
educational outcomes. Without shame and fear, students have more opportunity to be
successful in school, which is always a plus.
