Donated menstrual products to be distributed in province
A partnership between the province and a national foundation to distribute millions of donated menstrual products to women and girls in Saskatchewan communities is “wonderful” news, the executive director of Saskatoon Sexual Health says.
Twelve million menstrual products over three years will be provided for free to those who need them in select Saskatchewan communities, the province announced Wednesday. According to a survey by Plan International Canada, 1-in-5 of those across the country “who menstruate struggle to afford menstrual products for themselves or a dependent.”
Caitlin Cottrell, executive director at Saskatoon Sexual Health, said the expense that such products can represent for those that need them “can be pretty significant.
“Especially for those who are of lower socioeconomic status, those who are more vulnerable, those who are vulnerably housed or who experience homelessness, accessing these types of products is often completely out of the realm.”
Cottrell said that despite progress toward society becoming more open about the topic, there is still a stigma associated with menstruation. When those who need menstruation products can't access them, the stigma can feel acute, she said.
“You feel like people know, people can see it, people can smell it. If people avoid you, you feel that that is the reason why,” Cottrell said.
“It's very isolating.”
Laura Ross, Saskatchewan's minister responsible for the status of women, said the products will be given “to those who need them in a sensitive and dignified way and that will make a big difference in the lives of women and girls in Saskatchewan.”
It was not immediately clear where and how the products will be made available. The government in its announcement said it will finalize plans this fall for the distribution of products into communities.
Cottrell is curious about how specifically the government will determine need, including whether an income component might be involved, and what considerations might be made around geography. In her experience, such items are more expensive in remote communities, such as in the north, where shipping costs can be significantly higher.
She further wonders whether there will be an advertising campaign to let people know how to access the program.
Still, despite lingering questions, she views the initiative as being hugely positive.
“We do purchase and hand out period supplies,” Cottrell said of Saskatoon Sexual Health.
But, she noted, Saskatoon Sexual Health does not have the capacity to hand out large amounts. “This is wonderful,” she said. The products are being donated by the Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health — the charitable arm of Shoppers Drug Mart.
“Menstrual products aren't a luxury item, and no one should be disadvantaged in any way because they get their period,” Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. president Jeff Leger said in a statement.
“Our hope is that this donation will help unlock the potential of so many women and girls in Saskatchewan by removing a significant barrier preventing them from pursuing their goals.”