Following Scotland’s example, Catalonia will distribute free menstrual cups, period underwear, and cloth sanitary pads via pharmacies to 2.5 million people starting in 2024 to mitigate period poverty, seeking ‘to be an inspiration for Europe’, Catalan Minister of Equality and Feminisms Tània Verge told Euractiv on Monday.
Those needing menstrual products can choose among the three options by showing a tailored QR code from the regional health system app in all pharmacies. At the same time, the government will also ensure pharmacy staff is trained to offer personalised advice at the time of collection.
‘We pursue a triple objective: gender justice, to break down myths and taboos, social justice, to combat menstrual poverty, and climate justice, to reduce the tons of waste generated by disposable tampons and pads’, Catalan Minister of Equality and Feminisms Tània Verge told Euractiv.
‘We want to inspire Europe to follow this path as well’, she added.
With this move, Catalonia becomes the second European territory offering universally available menstruation products, after Scotland took the first step in 2020. In February 2021, the French government started distributing free tampons and pads in universities.
The European Parliament urged member states to ensure widespread availability and called for 0% VAT rates of menstrual products in a report in May 2021 while also warning that 1 out of 10 women in Europe suffer from period poverty.
A pioneer in women’s rights, Spain was the first European country in May 2022 to introduce a ‘menstrual leave’, whereby people suffering from strong menstrual pains take a paid medical leave.
(Max Griera | Euractiv.com)
Read more with EURACTIV
Spain’s PP leader faces ‘doomed to fail’ investiture
Source: euractiv.com
