Scotland Takes Aim at ‘Period Poverty’ by Making Products Free

On Nov. 24, Scotland became the first country in the world to establish through legislation that access to period products is a right, a move that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described as groundbreaking. It caps a four-year campaign backed by a wide coalition of trade unions, women’s groups, and charities and led by Monica Lennon, a member of the Scottish Parliament.

The aim, Lennon says, is to eradicate “period poverty”—the cost of the products can be prohibitive—and end the stigma around menstruation.

Under The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, approved unanimously in the Scottish Parliament, local governments will ...