
A project to provideĀ free sanitary products to women from low-income households in Aberdeen is to be extended.
The Scottish Government is making £12,000 available for the continuation of a pilot scheme run by social enterprise Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE).
The funding will allow the project to continue until an evaluation is completed in the summer as well as covering testing of provision inĀ the schools, college and university taking part.
The announcement coincided with a debate in the Scottish Parliament to mark International Womenās Day.
Equalities Secretary @AConstanceSNP announces that a pilot to provide free sanitary products to women in Aberdeen will be extended. More details: https://t.co/ZQFzJZ5RdT
— Scot Gov Fairer (@ScotGovFairer) March 8, 2018
Equalities Secretary Angela Constance said:Ā āThe pilot in Aberdeen is helping us to better understand the barriers that some women face when it comes to accessing sanitary products and how we could make free products easily accessible to those who need them.
āOur six-month pilot in the north east is coming to an end, having successfully recruited over 1,000 women.
āIām particularly encouraged by the interest the pilot has generated in reusable sanitary products which are environmentally friendly and financially sustainable.
āWe have begun to analyse the information collected during the pilot and the final reports are expected over the summer.
āIn the meantime, Iām pleased to announce that we will continue to make sanitary products available through Community Food Initiatives North East until we have the full results of the pilot.ā
Meanwhile, Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who has beenĀ campaigning to end period poverty,Ā has said the ātime is rightā for Holyrood to pass legislation to tackle the problem.
? @MonicaLennon7 talks about her plan to #EndPeriodPoverty pic.twitter.com/VWO9gSVTMa
ā Scottish Labour (@scottishlabour) March 8, 2018
She said Scotland could ālead the worldā on the issue by passing her memberās bill, which wouldĀ create a new duty on ministers to introduce a universal system of free provision of sanitary products.
It would require schools, colleges and universities to provide free items for women and girls in their toilets.
A consultation revealed support of 96% for the proposals becoming law.
Ms Lennon said: āProposals to end period poverty in Scotland have been met with overwhelming public support. The time is right to legislate ā Scotland can lead the world on this.ā
The Bloody Big Brunch: A new boozy way to tackle period poverty
She added: āAccess to sanitary products should be a basic right but sadly in Scotland we know not everyone can afford or obtain what they need.
āGiven the level of support, I intend to move forward with a memberās bill which would introduce a legal duty on the Scottish Government to develop a universal system in Scotland which will provide free sanitary products for anyone who needs them.
āThere should also be a statutory duty on schools, colleges and universities to provide free sanitary products in their toilets. Having your period shouldnāt result in anyone missing class.
āI hope my bill gains support from across the Holyrood chamber. This is bigger than party politics, this is about a fairer future for women and girls in Scotland.ā

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