The Facilities Management team has provided a holiday provision of free period products to over 4,000 pupils in all North Ayrshire secondary schools.
Distributed this week throughout schools before pupils finish for the Easter break, the Council will also be providing products in the community, working alongside the Health and Social Care Partnership, and NHS Ayrshire and Arran to reduce inequalities and combat period poverty.
Councillor Jim Montgomerie, Cabinet Member for Place said: “This valuable initiative forms part of our highly successful #perioddignity campaign.
“Initially established in 2017, we were the first local authority in the UK to offer free sanitary provision in its schools, libraries, community centres and public buildings and we continue to lead the way in our fight against period poverty.
“We hope that by distributing free period products before the Easter break, we can give some reassurance and peace of mind to secondary pupils.”
The progress the Council has made already aims to address the growing issue of period poverty which sees females across the country use unsuitable items, or nothing at all, to manage their period simply because they cannot afford the proper products.
Council Leader Joe Cullinane added: “Sanitary products are a necessity, not a choice. I wish for no person in North Ayrshire to find themselves in the embarrassing and often degrading situation of having to use improper sanitary protection simply because they cannot afford it.
“Periods are not exempt from poverty – they don’t take account of what is in your pocket or purse. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we should continue to develop ways in which to tackle this gendered inequality.
“The #perioddignity initiative is all about dignity and respect and we will continue to try our best to reach as many people in the community as possible so that no person in North Ayrshire who menstruates has the stress or worry of not having access to the products they need.
“During this uncertain time we will be reaching out into communities to ensure supplies are still available for those who require them.”