Scotland just made history by becoming the first country in the world which will ensure free access to sanitary pads and tampons, as the legislation was approved in its first stage with 112 votes in favor, none against, and one in abstention. The Period Products (Free Provision) Scotland Bill will now move on the second stage where the Scottish parliament will be allowed to suggest amendments. In 2018, Scotland became the first country in the world to provide free tampons and sanitary pads in schools and universities.
The bill was first put forward by Monica Lennon, a Scottish Labour Party politician, who said that this was a ‘milestone moment for normalizing menstruation in Scotland and sending out that real signal to people in this country about how seriously parliament takes gender equality.’