Boost for schoolgirls

Plan for free sanitary products

Girls in Rutherglen and Cambuslang may be able to access free sanitary products at school under a new county-wide initiative.

South Lanarkshire Council have announced they is looking at how best to offer the products to girls in secondary schools in a bid to end “period poverty”.

Councillor Katy Loudon, chairwoman of the education resources committee, said the local authority had agreed in principle to the provision of the goods.

She said the project would “provide dignity for families whose budgets do not stretch to sanitary protection”.

Her announcement comes weeks after the Scottish Government launched a pilot in Aberdeen which will give free sanitary products to more than 1,000 women from low income households.

Councillor Loudon said: “Tackling period poverty is an issue that I have been campaigning on for a number of years, so I am delighted to see the Scottish Government acting to tackle the problem head on.

“It is simply unacceptable that any woman or girl in Scotland should be unable to access sanitary protection due to poverty.

“We know that school children face challenges when accessing sanitary products, and whilst there are projects currently in place to help, we do not believe they go far enough.

“That is why I am delighted that we are considering how best to supply free, easily accessible sanitary products in schools across South Lanarkshire.

“Such a project, along with the work undertaken by the Scottish Government, will go some way to tackling the scourge of period poverty and give pupils the support and dignity they deserve.”

Councillor Lynsey Hamilton, of the Labour group, who also put forward a proposal for the scheme, said: “I’m confident the cross-party agreement between Labour and the SNP will deliver progress quickly for the benefit of our pupils.

“In this day and age, girls should not be missing class because they can’t afford tampons in overpriced dispensers or that no sanitary products are available.

“I’m proud that here in South Lanarkshire, along with other councils, we are willing to lead by example.”

We are willing to lead by example