The program is part of the regional government’s drive to reduce “period poverty” after a survey found that around 44% of women who use menstrual products in Catalonia cannot afford the product of first choice.
THE Spanish region of Catalonia began to provide free reusable menstrual cups, period underwear and cloth pads in pharmacies today, in one of the first initiatives of its kind worldwide.
The program is part of the regional government’s drive to reduce “period poverty” after a survey found that around 44% of women who use menstrual products in Catalonia do not have the money to buy the product of first choice, and 23% say how he was forced to use products that are designed for single use again.
Limited availability of menstrual blood collection products, often due to cost, lack of washing facilities or education, can lead girls and women to miss school and work and exacerbates the risk of infection and toxic syndrome shock.
Civil servant Ester Mirales, 55, said if the men were menstruating the issue would have been dealt with much earlier.
“This affects all women, those who fortunately have the financial means and those who do not,” she stressed.
Women may spend €2,500 on sanitary products over their lifetime, while choosing reusable products will reduce this cost to around €145, according to the authorities.
The initiative in the northeastern Spanish region will benefit around 2.5 million people, girls, women and non-binary or transgender people who are menstruating, who will be able to find the products in more than 3,300 pharmacies.
The measure also aims to reduce the more than 9000 tons of waste generated every year in Catalonia from used tampons and sanitary napkins.
18-year-old student Elena Eranth said she wants to try reusable products.
“We use a lot of sanitary napkins, a lot of tampons, a lot of materials in our lifetime and they pollute a lot,” she told Reuters.
Scotland became the first region in the world to offer free sanitary products in 2020, but the Catalan government says it is now the first time reusable menstrual products have been provided free of charge.
In 2022 Spain passed a law that stipulated that menstrual products should be distributed free of charge to schools, prisons, women’s health care facilities and other public institutions.
Source :Skai
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