Scotland passed a bill on February 25, 2020 making pads and tampons readily and freely available to all women in the country. The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill had 112 votes in favor of the bill and none had opposed the act.

Although the government will have a yearly cost of $31 million, the parliment acknoweldges the “period poverty” that women have of struggling to afford these products. They are willingly ready to relieve the challenges women face and are open to have these discussions.

Monica Lennon, a Scottish Parliment member who pushed and promoted for this bill since 2017, is thrilled with the progress that Scotland has been making.

“This is an amazing victory for everyone who has campaigned for free universal access to period products and who has convinced the Scottish Government to back this ground-breaking Bill,” Lennon said after the bill was passed.

The country is making history and breaking the stigma surrounding these issues. This bill shines light on the social equality and rights that women are denied. Women will spend around $6,400 in their lifetime on these products and the fact that many women cannot afford these necessities prevents them from using those costs on their education and other needs.

As time progresses, women’s issues are gradually becoming more prominent in today’s conversations and are slowly being recognized. Scotland is one of the first countries to officially acknowledge these issues, but more countries need to be involved in these conversations to help break the stigmatized subject.

Daryna Yushchenko, a sophomore, expresses her reaction to the news: “It’s amazing that Scotland’s government is actually thinking about what’s best for their citizens. I hope the US and other countries follow its lead because this law can change the lives of many women who can’t afford these products.”