THE SNP MSP behind a campaign to make Scotland the first country in the world to give women and girls access to free sanitary products has welcomed fresh backing from Scottish trade unionists.
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and the SNP’s Political Education Officer Julie Hepburn mooted the idea of an "S-Card" at last May’s SNP National Council which decides party policy, and the resolution was passed unanimously.
The politician revealed earlier this month in The National that Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, Angela Constance, is investigating plans for an S-card, which would allow women free access to sanitary products, after a meeting with her.
Growing concern about the risks to the health and education of women and girls who cannot afford sanitary products has prompted the move.
The card could be handed into a local pharmacy, supermarket, GP practice or other providers. Martin believes it should be available to all and not means tested.
She told The National she had been given a commitment by the Scottish Government that all potential methods and solutions would be fully researched.
Now Martin has welcomed support from the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) who passed a motion backing the ‘Homeless Period’ campaign. It aims to ensure sanitary products are made available to homeless shelters by the Scottish Government. The motion had been put forward by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in Scotland.
Martin said: “I have been working with the Cabinet Secretary on this issue and I am pleased the Scottish Trade Union Congress has also echoed my call to support what is a basic right for women.
“Supporting homeless women and allowing them access to sanitary products is a basic dignity. Poverty is the main reason certain women and girls cannot access period products but there are other barriers like domestic abuse and coercive control where a woman may not have access to her own money, or is stopped from accessing the products she needs.
“Personally I think access to period products is a basic right and I would like to see how we can achieve that in Scotland with the powers and levers we have.”
The STUC also called on the Scottish Government to undertake a review on the affordability of feminine hygiene products in Scotland and introduce measures to address the inequality of access to sanitary products for women and girls in Scotland.
UNISON’s Kate Ramsden recalled 10 years ago when Thabitha Khumalo of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions addressed the UNISON Conference asking for support for Dignity Period, a charity set up to provide sanitary wear for women in Zimbabwe.
“But it is an ongoing issue not just in the developing world but here in the UK. I am just as appalled at the indignity and the health implications of women and girls across the UK,” she said.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here