The participants of the meeting unanimously stated that menstrual products must become the norm in Polish schools, and no girl should miss educational classes due to the lack of funds to buy them. According to the participants, this is a very important element in the fight against period poverty in our country.
The most important topics discussed during the meeting, in addition to the issue of access to menstrual products, were also possible ways of their financing and proper education on the menstrual cycle.
The consultations were organized after the announcement of the initiative of collecting 100,000 signatures, which was made on behalf of the Periodic Coalition by Dominika Kulczyk during the Women's Congress. The first Polish bill on menstruation is to be submitted to the parliament in the form of a civic legislative initiative. The bill is intended to introduce free access to menstrual products and menstrual health education in all schools.
Despite many activities of non-governmental organizations and local governments against period poverty in recent years, this problem still occurs in Poland and affects young girls to a large extent. This is confirmed by the Kulczyk Foundation research from 2020. It shows that more than half of Polish teenagers did not go to school at least once because of their period. One third of them are not prepared for the arrival of their first period. Every fifth young girl in Poland had to miss lessons due to lack of menstrual products.
- Therefore, the time has come for system changes that will help girls in Poland to function in schools on an equal footing with boys - said the representatives of the Periodic Coalition.
The initiators of the act are modeled on Scotland, New Zealand, France and England, where such regulations and programs already exist.
All people who want to support the initiative are welcome to contact the Kulczyk Foundation or the Periodic Coalition.
