2 days ago
Free sanitary products to be available at over 30 locations across county Mayo
Mayo County Council have secured €15,000 in funding from the Department of Health to help fund the initiative that is part of the council's wider responsibility to the national Healthy Ireland strategy.
Period poverty is defined as the 'inadequate access to menstrual hygiene, including period products (for example, sanitary towels and tampons), washing, waste management facilities and education' by Health Ireland.
Providing free sanitary products in public buildings was recommended in a report drafted by the Period Poverty Sub-Committee of the National Strategy for Women and Girls Committee. Published in 2021, the report recommended local authorities make period products readily available in libraries, community centres, leisure centres, and other public buildings.
Elmer Pieterse, the Healthy County Coordinator for Mayo said,
'This is about more than hygiene - it's about dignity, health, and equity. Through the Healthy Ireland Fund, we are working to support all members of our community, and this is a key step forward."
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Pieterse said
"It is about making these things accessible to people who are experiencing health inequality due to financial constraints, Mayo is also a very rural county so we want to make things accessible throughout the county.'
Certain groups find themselves more susceptible to experiencing period poverty. These can include; women in financially, physically or mentally abusive relationships, women experiencing homelessness, or women in a single-parent family. A scheme where sanitary products are made accessible will afford these groups groups a greater chance of avoiding period poverty and offer them greater health equity.
Mr Pieterse confirmed that a list of the 30 locations will be available on the website within the next few days.
