Sanitary products in schools
Period poverty is tackled
Every school in South Lanarkshire is to be supplied with sanitary products to support equality and ensure that no girl has to miss any of her education.
It comes a month after it was announced all schools in North Lanarkshire will be stocked with free sanitary products in a bid to tackle period poverty.
In what was understood to be a first for any local authority in Scotland, that move by North Lanarkshire ensured all pupils attending primary, secondary and additional support needs schools will have free access to the products.
Neighbouring South Lanarkshire has now followed suit and Councillor Collette Stevenson, South Lanarkshire Deputy Provost, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see this moving ahead.
“Schools, both primary and secondary, have received a supply of products that are to be made freely available to anyone who needs them, regardless of whether it’s for a one-off emergency or on a regular basis and, crucially, this includes allowing for school holidays.”
Councillor Julia Marrs, the spokesperson for Youth at South Lanarkshire Council, added: “This is a commitment to support the equality, dignity and rights of young people to ensure that any lack of access to sanitary products does not impact on anyone’s ability to fully participate in education.”
Head of education at South Lanarkshire, Lynn Sherry, said: “We very much welcome this initiative in the interest of equality and opportunity for all.
“No young person should be held back from being able to access education.
“It is great to see that all schools in the area are working with pupils and staff to identify how best to make these products freely available while protecting their dignity and avoiding anxiety, embarrassment and stigma.”
The South Lanarkshire initiative is assisted by funding from the Scottish Government.
Chloe Carmichael, a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, was also delighted to hear the news, and added: “This is something I have been working on for a long time.
“It is something that is really needed for many reasons, and so it is great to see it starting to become a reality to help girls with such an important matter.
“No one should suffer in this way, and hopefully now no one will.”
All schools are working with pupils