France makes period products free for students

France on Tuesday said that it intends to make period products free for students in a bid to end "period poverty", or simply the inability to pay for menstrual products.

France's Higher Education Minister Frederique Vidal said that machines with free tampons, sanitary towels and other period products are set to be installed across student residences in the coming few weeks.

In addition, the products would be made available to university health services. Vidal said that the governments to make period products "completely free of charge" by the beginning of the next academic year in September.

Also read: Scotland becomes world's first country to make menstrual products free

Scotland became the world's first country to make period products free for all in November.  Since then, the issue of period poverty has found resonance across the world by feminists and anti-poverty campaigners. In England, free period products can be found at all primary and secondary schools. New Zealand claims that it would follow suit and implement the same rules across its schools.

President Emmanuel Macron had vowed to address the issue of period poverty in December. Macron had also shed light on the difficulties faced by homeless women, saying that "the fact of having your period in the street and to not be able to buy something to protect yourself and preserve your dignity" was a contributing factor to the ordeals they faced.

Also read: 'Little Miss Period' tackles Japan's menstruation taboos with a punch

Students are currently struggling to make ends meet owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to mass lockdowns and curbs on assembly. Due to this, cafes and restaurants have been hit the hardest - the basic source of income for students who take up part-time jobs.

(With inputs from AFP)