Free period products will be provided at all public primary schools in Western Australia as the state government extends its initiative to acknowledge that many girls begin menstruating before they reach high school.
Last year, the government launched the program to provide 225 state high schools with free pads and tampons. Yesterday, the program extended to include more than 570 public primary schools.
The period products will be available for students at state primary schools starting from Term 3 this year, with no cost to the schools or to the students.
WA Minister for Education Dr Tony Buti said the initiative is aimed to improve not just access to period products, but engagement in students’ learning.
“It is important we do everything we can to support students while they are at school,” Minister Buti said.
“Following the success of this initiative in public schools with students from Years 7 to 12, I’m pleased all public schools with primary students will soon be able to access free period products.
“No student should miss out on attending class or feel like they can’t participate in school if they do not have the products they need.”
Minister for Women’s Interests Sue Ellery said it is important to give primary school aged girls access to the period products they need.
“We know for some students, periods can arrive before they’re of high school age, that’s why we’re expanding the program into public primary schools,” Minister Ellery said.
“The expansion of free period products into public primary schools is important for promoting student health and wellbeing.
“We want all students to be able to reach their full potential, and we want to ensure that having your period is not a barrier for school participation.”
Every state and territory in Australia provides at least state high schools with period products for students to access at no cost. Victoria was the first state to do so in 2019.
Addressing period poverty in Australia
The Western Australian government’s initiative targets the very real problem of period poverty in Australia.
Plan International Australia launched its report A Tough Period in May last year, revealing the significance of period poverty in Australia due to the nation’s cost of living crisis.
According to the research, almost six in 10 (57 per cent) Gen Z and Millennial women find it tougher to pay for period products now than before the cost of living crisis. For Gen Z women alone, this figure sits at 64 per cent.
It’s a similar story for Gen Z and Millennial women affording paid relief medication while they’re on their periods, with more than half (53 per cent) finding it more difficult to pay for medication/treatment than prior to the cost of living crisis.
More than a third (37 per cent) of respondents said affording period products, including pain relief medication and treatment, is impacting their mental health and well-being. This figure sits higher for people outside capital cities (48 per cent), unemployed (45 per cent), those who are renting (46 per cent) and those who have a household income of under $50,000 (47 per cent).
About 16 per cent of Gen Z people who menstruate said their periods and their lack of access to products affected their education or workplace participation.