Free period products

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The Free Period Products campaign is more important than ever as we fight to ensure that period products are accessible to all students. Addressing period poverty is crucial for ensuring equity, dignity, and access to education and opportunities for everyone. 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 highlights how financial barriers directly impact access to menstrual products, further affecting students' well-being and success.

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. This financial strain disproportionately affects those already facing economic hardship, amplifying existing inequalities.

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 2). 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.

 

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