Findings of a period poverty pilot will be published in the summer – and could lead to a national roll out
Women from low-income households in Aberdeen will continue to receive free sanitary products.
The Scottish Government will provide Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) with £12,000 to continue to make products available to people who have signed up to a pilot project until the evaluation is complete.
It will also allow provision to continue in the schools, college and university involved in the pilot.
The original pilot, which began last September, offered free sanitary products to women through CFINE, a local social enterprise.
The findings of the evaluation are expected to be published in the summer – and could lead to a national roll out.
Equalities secretary Angela Constance announced the extension during a debate in the Scottish Parliament on International Women’s Day.
She said: “The pilot in Aberdeen is helping us to better understand the barriers that some women face when it comes to accessing sanitary products, and how we could make free products easily accessible to those who need them.
“Our six month pilot in the north east is coming to an end, having successfully recruited over 1000 women. I’m particularly encouraged by the interest the pilot has generated in reusable sanitary products which are environmentally friendly and financially sustainable.
“We have begun to analyse the information collected during the pilot and the final reports are expected over the summer. In the meantime, I’m pleased to announce that we will continue to make sanitary products available through Community Food Initiatives North East until we have the full results of the pilot.”
Dave Simmers, chief executive of CFINE, said: “CFINE was delighted that Scottish Government supported this much needed pilot – we are even more delighted about the continuation of supply for those who signed up for free sanitary products during the pilot.
“It’s a very welcome development and clear recognition and support on this essential health and wellbeing issue.”
