The activists of the Periodic Coalition presented the assumptions of the act during a press conference in the Polish Parliament. The project is supported by Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz - Member of Parliament and Vice-President of the Civic Platform, Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka - Deputy Speaker of the Senate from the Left, and Urszula Pasławska - Member of Parliament and Vice-President of the Polish People's Party.
– The word period, menstruation is an embarrassing word for many. But we have bold women in our society who break these myths and stereotypes. They banded together in the Periodic Coalition. We are representatives of various parliamentary clubs, from various options. There is a deputy marshal, a senator, MPs. We all support this initiative. And, we will certainly do everything, whether in the Sejm or the Senate, to make this project come into force. We are with you - said MP Marzena Okła- Drewnowicz.
There is a website TakDlaPodpasek.pl, where you can support the initiative of the Periodic Coalition and sign the appeal in this matter. Before, similar laws and programmes have already been introduced in Europe in England, Scotland and France . The need to solve the problem of poverty and menstrual exclusion in Polish schools is indicated by the data on menstrual health, coming from, among others, the Kulczyk Foundation report.
– Taking care of your menstrual health is also taking care of teenagers’ mental health. Because of poverty and menstrual exclusion or stigma against menstruation, girls are subjected to enormous social pressure. How can a girl who notices from the reactions of the environment feel that being on their period is a bad thing? Let's do everything to provide them with free access to menstrual hygiene products. We, adults, have a responsibility to take care of them -argued Dominika Kulczyk, President of the Kulczyk Foundation.
During the press conference, the Periodic Coalition also presented the results of the latest Kantar survey commissioned by the Kulczyk Foundation. The research shows that according to 64% of Polish women and men, menstrual hygiene products in schools should be available for free. In turn, 67% of Polish women admit that it happened to them that during their menstruation they did not have access to sanitary pads or tampons at school .
– Behind the Pink Box, behind this box, there are people. People who all over Poland want such boxes to be filled with necessities during menstruation. In every school, in every public place. These people are also waiting to take this responsibility off our shoulders. So that the state, which cares about its citizens, would take over this difficult, but very important duty. We will all, as we stand here, strive for this - added Magdalena Schejbal from the Pink Box.
As part of the action TakDlaPodpasek.pl, the nationwide social campaign "Period in my life" was officially launched, as well. The campaign faces include: Young Leosia, Katarzyna Figura, Anita Sokołowska, Ola Hamkało , Agata Młynarska and Karolina Brzuszczyńska ( Way of Blonde ) . Each of them tells their story about their period, breaking the taboo around menstruation. The recordings are available on the website OkreswMoimZyciu.pl. The aim of the campaign is to build awareness around the topic of menstruation.
The Periodic Coalition is an association of organizations and experts that deal with the normalization of menstruation. March 8 is the second anniversary of the Coalition's announcement of the Manifesto to counteract the problem of poverty and menstrual exclusion. Since then, the Periodic Coalition has been fighting this problem by providing menstrual products to schools, orphanages, and refugee centers. Thanks to cooperation with partners in two years the Coalition has provided nearly 3.5 million sanitary pads and tampons to people in need.