"Menstrual insecurity".
For the first time, on December 4, during the interview with Emmanuel Macron in Brut, a President of the Republic used this expression designating the difficulty of access to periodic protection for financial reasons.
He promised "a very concrete response" to fight this taboo which is a reality for nearly 2 million women in France.
This Tuesday, December 15 in the evening, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, and the Minister Delegate in charge of Equality between women and men, Elisabeth Moreno, thus jointly announced bringing the 2021 budget dedicated to the fight against menstrual precariousness at 5 million euros (against 1 million in 2020).
🔵🔴 [PRESS RELEASE]
Following the announcements of @ EmmanuelMacron, with @olivierveran, we are bringing the budget allocated by the State to 5 million euros to fight against menstrual insecurity in 2021.
This taboo must be fought.
It is an issue of solidarity and social justice.
pic.twitter.com/YvIIddcL7I
- Élisabeth Moreno (@ 1ElisaMoreno) December 15, 2020
Goal?
Strengthen the fight led by associations for the access of all women to periodic protection (sanitary napkins, tampons, etc.), by targeting in particular incarcerated women as well as those in precarious situations.
"This change of scale will be perpetuated in the budget of social ministries for the years to come", promises the joint statement.
"Rules are not a matter of shame"
Menstrual insecurity is a risk factor for health in the event of insufficient renewal of protection, a barrier to the integration of thousands of women ... Tackling this problem, "it is both a question of public health and of solidarity!
»Declares Olivier Véran.
“The rules are not a matter of shame,” he insists.
"Numerous initiatives, led by associations, communities and, above all, by the mobilization of youth have shed light on this reality which strikes too many women in our country", notes Elisabeth Moreno for her part.
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Missing classes because you have your period, scourge of precariousness in high schools in Ile-de-France
Among the actions carried out and supported in 2020, the Lille Academy has launched the provision of free periodic protection for girls in secondary schools, i.e. more than 40 secondary schools and high schools falling under priority education.
Initiatives have also been stepped up in the field trips and day care centers for women housed or on the street, carried out by the Salvation Army and the French Red Cross.
Support was also given to collections from the general public and manufacturers, carried out by the Agency for donation in kind and by Dons solidaires ...
The Scottish example
On the same subject, on November 24 in Scotland, the local parliament voted unanimously to adopt a bill that will allow all women in the country to access periodic protection free of charge.
A world first.
Concretely, the Scottish government will have to allow any woman in need of tampons or pads anywhere in Scotland to obtain them without paying a penny.
Periodic coverage will not be free in supermarkets.
They should, however, be available, free of charge, in public buildings, including schools, colleges and universities, throughout the country.
