Free period products

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The Free Period Products campaign is focused on making sure that all students have access to essential menstrual products. When these products aren’t affordable or readily available, it can affect a student's ability to focus on their studies and fully participate in university life. According to a report on the cost-of-living crisis at the University of Melbourne,

“Over 51% of female-identifying students agree or strongly agree that they struggle to afford period products.”

This is a significant concern, as the inability to access basic menstrual products directly impacts students' ability to fully engage in their academic and campus life.

With living costs rising, period products are increasingly seen as luxuries rather than necessities, pushing already struggling individuals further into financial insecurity. A lack of access to affordable period products creates disparities in education—students may miss classes or experience embarrassment during their cycles. 

The report also underscores the role UMSU can play in improving the situation:

“Over 90% of students agree or strongly agree that UMSU should dedicate resources to ensuring that all students who menstruate have access to free period products through Union Mart.”

It also advocates for dedicated funding for UMSU Welfare and UMSU Women’s departments to ensure a consistent supply of products for students.

The UMSU Women’s Department is committed to reducing period poverty and advocating for the University of Melbourne to provide these essential products. To make period products more accessible, we’ve teamed up with “Pixxie” to install period product dispensers in Building 168 (from the ground floor to level 3). We’ve also collaborated with the Welfare Department, providing them with $4,000 for the distribution of period products through Union Mart. In addition, we continue to ensure availability at Women’s Space.

Our aim is to keep period products more accessible across campus and raise awareness about the importance of ending period poverty. These actions are part of a bigger mission to push for funding from the university so all campus bathrooms are stocked with free period products, making sure that no student ever has to choose between their health and their education.

We need your voice! Fill out this form to make sure we have enough support to push the university to take action. The more voices we have, the stronger our call for change will be! Let’s work together to make period products a standard, not a luxury.

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS IN THE WOMEN'S SPACE (B168 Lv 3, Room 306) OR UMSU INFO DESK!

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