Free access is “fundamental to equality and dignity,” Scottish Social Justice Minister Shona Robison said in a statement on Sunday. From Monday, city administrations and educational institutions are obliged to make hygiene items available to everyone who needs them.
In November 2020, the Scottish regional parliament unanimously voted in favor of free access to the products in public buildings. “We are proud to be the first national government to take such a step,” said Secretary Robinson.
Scotland is a pioneer in the fight against “period poverty”. Schoolgirls and students are already provided with pads and tampons free of charge. In some countries (including Great Britain, France, Germany) VAT on menstrual products has been reduced. The Austrian National Council also halved the sales tax for feminine hygiene articles at the end of 2020 to ten percent. The ÖVP and the Greens had previously agreed in their government program.
Source: Nachrichten
