Period poverty has been an increasingly spotlighted topic over the past few years, with campaigners urging the likes of schools, workplaces and councils to provide free sanitary products, such as pads and tampons, to those who struggle to afford, or access, them.
Now, Surrey County Council have become the first council in England to agree to the demands, joining up with charity Binti International – who strive to ensure access to period products for all and work hard to help dismantle stigma surrounding menstruation – to deliver a 'milestone' new scheme.
It's said that Surrey Council will now provide free sanitary towels from offices and public buildings in the local area and are rallying for donations from the public. According to a report from the BBC, council leader Tim Oliver said: "We would hate to think anybody would suffer in silence for fear of shame."
The initiative officially launches on 28 May (which is coincidentally Menstrual Health Day) and the council say they'll do their best to guarantee every member of its staff, along with the public via its libraries, have access to the pads. Donation points have also been established for people who'd like to contribute.
Recent research, conducted by child poverty charity Plan International, further solidified the need for such a scheme, after finding that 30% of girls in the UK found it a challenge to pay for, or access, period products throughout the course of the coronavirus pandemic. More than half of those turned to using toilet paper as a makeshift solution instead.
Founder of Binti (which has also launched an app to show where products are available), Manjit K Gill, said of the new rollout, "Our grassroots level conversations have taught us that deep-rooted barriers to breaking stigmas attached to periods are shared by all communities in one way or another."
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She added, "We have to be brave enough to challenge the reason behind the shame that leads to so many women and girls suffering in silence - not talking about it." It's now hoped that other councils around the country will follow Surrey's lead and set up similar schemes in turn.
Katie Stewart, the council's diversity lead, added that no girl or woman should have to suffer through "the indignity of managing their period without period products".
We couldn't agree more - well done to all those involved with pushing this incredible new scheme to the forefront.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
