Scotland will become the first nation in the world to legally protect people's rights to free period products from tomorrow, when landmark legislation comes into force. Under The Period Products Bill, tampons and sanitary towels must be made available by councils and education providers to anyone who need them.
According to the Scottish Government, it has 'invested more than £27 million to fund access in a range of public settings', and it says 'the new law will cement this progress'.
The Bill, which was brought forward by Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon and passed in November 2020, is intended to eliminate period poverty and help households under financial strain.
It was unanimously approved by MSPs after winning the support of the Scottish Government and the other opposition parties in Holyrood.
Speaking when the Bill was passed, Ms Lennon said it was a 'practical and progressive' piece of legislation, made all the more vital because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Labour MSP, who has been working to tackle period poverty since she was elected to Holyrood in 2016, said: 'Periods don't stop for pandemics and the work to improve access to essential tampons, pads and reusables has never been more important.'
She said: 'On the issue of period dignity, I am beyond proud that Scotland is leading the way and we have moved at a fast pace in a short space of time.'