Monica Lennon M.S.P. to eradicate period poverty in Scotland.

Scotland is poised to become the first country in the world to create a history of period poverty.

The MSPS was expected to vote on a leading law on Tuesday that would allow free access to anyone in need of sanitary products.

The bill comes after a three-year campaign by Labor health spokeswoman Monica Lennon, who has garnered cross-party support.

This would mean that schools, colleges and universities would need to provide tampons and other items in toilets, while local authorities would also need to have plans available.

Lane said: “This is a bold and groundbreaking part of the law. I hope it will inspire other countries to follow our lead and generalize the idea that period poverty is not acceptable.

“No young woman or woman needs to worry about having or having access to period products.

There have been many good initiatives in other parts of the world where different areas or sectors have taken action, but the law is broad.

“It will address the provision within education settings, but it will ensure that all women can access the products they need if they are anywhere.

“It simply came to our notice then. When you go to the toilet, you expect the toilet paper to be there and you can also expect period products. “

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill was introduced by Lennon in April last year and is expected to cost about 7. 7.7 million a year.

To make sanitary products available free of charge, it aims to combat the stigma of the period and the effects of the period on education.

The new law will impose a duty on government ministers to ensure that products are available free of charge on a universal basis.

Emphasis will be placed on schools, colleges and universities as well as other republican institutions.

Lane added: “Compared to epidemics, we have seen this through new lenses.

“But the period does not end in an epidemic and, if anything, the problem of period poverty has become even more acute, so we need this more than ever.

“Yes, there will be financial costs but it is reasonable to ask that we cannot afford to take action.

“We know this problem is real and we also know that many women and girls endure silence – people usually move on to time and work or education.

“In the year 2001, when I was first elected to the Scottish Parliament, I wanted to find out if there were any plans to address the issue of people going to food banks for Scottish Government period products, as was happening.

“Initially, we were torturing to prove that this was a real problem, that there was poverty in that period.

“Part of proving our case was encouraging people to share their stories, which was difficult, especially for younger people who might have dropped out of school or work.

“We have now come to a place where, thanks to the people who speak, it is acceptable that the poverty of the period has to change.

“The meaning of the new provision will not be tested. It’s really important because people don’t want to talk about their personal situation. ”

The draft proposal for the bill was consulted at the end of 2017 and the final proposal was supported by 51 MSPs from all political parties, then initially rejected by the Appellate Committee.

Lane added: “Working with Cabinet Secretary Ellen Campbell has been very good and has been really helpful in crossing this line.”

In 2018, the Scottish Government pledged 5. 5.2 million to provide students with sanitary products in schools, colleges and universities during the 2018-19 academic year.

The figure was raised to 5. 5.5 million to continue the policy in 2019-20 and then a further 4 4 million was made available to local authorities to expand the roll-out.

In 2018, Charity Fairshare was given 500,000 to provide free period products to low-income households, and last October, Campbell announced an additional 000 50,000 for the sports club.