PEOPLE in Oxford could access free period products thanks to a new scheme.

Next week Oxford City Council will debate a motion to provide free period products in public toilets and other public buildings including the town hall and community centres.

The motion, which was submitted by Green Party councillors Rosie Rawle and Lucy Pegg would support the work already being carried about by the Young Women’s Music Project.

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The project currently delivers a volunteer-run distribution network in Oxford, called Wings, supporting people who menstruate or have young children and cannot access sanitary products or nappies.

Cllr Rawle said: “Period poverty is a major issue facing millions of people across the country, and hundreds in our city.

“Lack of access to period products can have a huge impact on the lives of women, girls, non-binary people and trans men who menstruate. It can lead to people wearing period products for too long and using unsuitable or unsafe alternatives.

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“There are already brilliant initiatives in Oxford - like Wings - which do incredible work to overcome period poverty. But we need to go further.

“It’s time for the City Council to step up and help tackle this. That’s why we’re calling on the City Council to look seriously at whether it can provide free period products for our residents.”

Lucy Pegg, who is the deputy leader of the Green Party Group on the council, said: “Access to dignity and period products should be a basic right for all who need it.

“And if we’re serious about tackling inequality in our city, we need to get serious about tackling period poverty.

“Period poverty affects those who are already more vulnerable and less privileged more than anybody else, not least homeless people, refugees and people on benefits.

“Providing free period products in public buildings could be an important step in tackling this issue, and liberating women and others from this major failing of society.”

According to a study by children’s charity Plan International, the average menstruating person spends £4,800 on period products in their lifetime.

More than a third of girls aged 14-21 in the UK have struggled to afford or access period products during the coronavirus pandemic - up a fifth on last year, according to a new survey released by the charity.

That is equivalent to over one million girls in the UK. Half of these girls did not have enough money to buy period products at all at some point over the past year. Three quarters, 73 per cent, of those had to use toilet paper as an alternative to period products like pads.

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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers. 

Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi