Students and faculty members of UNBC will soon have access to free menstrual products in select washrooms on campus.
The initiative launches this fall, while the University will be providing funding to get the project started.
“We want to bring menstrual products to campus and make them available free-of-charge for students and other people who access the University who are menstruating to end period poverty and end the stigma they may be experiencing,” explained third-year social work student, Emily Erickson.
The cost of purchasing menstrual items can be expensive, and according to UNBC, causes some people to forgo purchasing other essential items.
“Period poverty is something menstruating people experience when they don’t have the proper tools, such as menstruation products, to manage their periods,” added Erickson.
According to UNBC, some women that can’t afford to purchase these products have had to skip classes altogether.
The Northern BC Graduate Student’s Society (NBGCS), Northern Undergraduate Student Society, Prince George Public Interest Research Group and the Northern Women’s Centre lead the project.
“We provide toilet paper for free in public and private washrooms to address the basic human right of access to proper sanitation,” explained Abby Dooks, Director of External Affairs for the NBCGSS, “this program will provide free menstrual products to meet this basic need for half the population.”
Currently, the school is working to determine exactly which washrooms on campus will provide the menstrual products.
Erickson added the pilot project will be environmentally conscious as well, and the products provided will have little or no plastic in the packaging.
UNBC is hoping to inspire other post-secondary institutions to adopt a similar initiative.
“We don’t want people to have to choose between coming to class or staying home because they don’t have proper products to make their day comfortable and sanitary,” Erickson added, “everyone has the right to feel clean and comfortable.”
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