Period poverty: Green Councillors lead decision to provide free period products

Green Councillors Rosie Rawle and Lucy Pegg on the Oxford City Council led a unanimous vote that the council should provide free period products, which will be made available in council run buidings such as the Town Hall and community centres. Lucy Pegg stated: “If we’re serious about tackling inequality in our city, we need to get serious about tackling period poverty.”

Period poverty is a growing issue, and a signal of the larger cost of living crisis in the UK. A survey of the UK public by polling firm YouGov found that 9% of cis women and trans men had been unable to afford period products they needed at least once in the last five years: link to survey. The survey also found 67% support for making it a legal requirement that councils provide free period products to anyone who needs them. In the meantime, it is up to individual councils to take action on this issue.

Read more on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-62223562