4 Jun 2020

Campaigner delighted all schools given chance to offer free period products

From Morning Report, 8:25 am on 4 June 2020

A campaigner for free sanitary products in schools is delighted by a $2.6 million programme being rolled out by the government to tackle period poverty.

From term three, products will be available at 15 schools in Waikato, and from next year all schools will be able to opt in to the programme.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said nearly 95,000 students may stay home during their periods due to not being able to afford period products.

Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter said menstruation is a fact of life and access to period products is a necessity, not a luxury.

Jacinta Gulasekharam is the co-founder of Dignity New Zealand and the campaign lead of Positive Periods.