On the 22nd of May, Caroline Newton, our new Outreach Officer, attended the Future of Menstrual Health Event in Scotland at the Scottish Parliament co-hosted by Monica Lennon (MSP Central Scotland) and Dr Jenni Marten (CEO of Menstrual Rights Global, formerly Pandemic Periods). The event brought together just under fifty experts, activists and school pupils to reflect on the Free Period Provision Bill 2021, the menstrual activism force in Scotland and to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Menstrual Hygiene Day. The overarching themes of the discussion resonated with Sanitree’s ethos, that in period activism there are no leaders, we share knowledge to empower menstruators and movements worldwide by working together on a grassroots global level. They align with our vision to educate holistically, period poverty is more than pads, and more than products like soap.

Speakers included organisers Dr Jenni Martin (CEO of Menstrual Rights Global), Monica Lennon (MSP), Victoria Heaney (Free Period Scotland Founder, and pioneer of quantitative data for menstruation in Scotland), Alison Evison (Chair of NHS Grampian and ex-COSLA President), Payton Wilson (Period Dignity Ambassador at St Martin’s Primary), Tara Lillis (STUC Women’s Committee), Pendo Daudi (CEO of Women and Children Welfare Support Association), Laura Youngson (Healthcare Worker Lead of Menstrual Rights Global), and Jennifer Way-Ogunsola (WiSE Research Centre Policy Analyst).

*Speakers and Participants at 'The Future of Menstrual Health in Scotland' Event*

Menstrual Rights Global were founded during the pandemic and are a collective that empowers, mentors and mobilises different grassroots movements of menstruation activists globally as they believe that there is strength in collective action and numbers. Their motto spans the life course ‘from menarche to menopause’. The impact that can be made by working together is much greater, Lennon followed this by emphasising the collective action movement, which Sanitree were a part of. Women-led movements, and women in general, she observed, can be pitted against one another as a key tool of misogyny, but in the menstruation movement collective action and the recognition of this unity is paramount. The range of speakers was a testament to the truly intersectional nature of period poverty. From trade union representatives, COSLA representatives and healthcare workers all the way to primary school pupils and change makers in Tanzania and Nigeria.

The key takeaways shared by all the speakers underscored the importance of collaboration, the lifelong impact of these issues, and the centrality of the ‘why’. As an anthropology student, the ‘why’ particularly resonated with me because it aligns with key Sanitree values. Our community in Edinburgh, Ishu, the Beneficiary Team in Jaipur, and every menstruator who has used our pads embody our ‘why’. The diverse social stories surrounding complex learning needs, disabilities, poverty, and religion illustrate that menstruation activism must acknowledge a wide range of experiences. A culturally contextual movement is essential to achieving a true ‘why’. This involves balancing the universality provided by the Free Period Products Provision Legislation with the lived, complex experiences of menstruators. The speakers emphasised that this legislation is a means, not an end, in addressing the dynamic issue of period poverty both in Scotland and globally.

A human rights approach is imperative, but it must be supported by qualitative data to effectively integrate menstrual needs into budgets across Scotland, within various government spheres, and ultimately worldwide. Menstrual health is not optional - access to resources that meet menstruators’ needs should be recognised as a fundamental human right. However, as Dr.Marten pointed out, the UN Convention for Women currently excludes menstrual, sexual, and reproductive health from its framework on bodily autonomy, which is absurd given that these are key barriers not just for women, but for other marginalised genders as well. Human rights should create space for budgets, and as Alison Evison told me in a conversation before the panel, budgets are crucial because everything comes back to them. The Scottish Government has mobilised an estimated £8.7 million annually for product provision. Initiatives to tackle period poverty must be financed and entrenched in this way, or risk being the first to be cut.

*Caroline Newton, Outreach Officer at Sanitree, and Another Attendee Holding a Drop of Blood*

While the classic anecdote of stuffing a pad and tampon up your sleeve at work or school when you walk to the bathroom is all too known, there were points raised by the speakers which truly encapsulated the need for holistic teamwork by menstruators from a diverse set of experiences. The universality of the legislation was there in the reflection and celebration of Trade Union champions who advocated for menstruating bus drivers, who often lacked opportunities or access to change their menstrual products. This issue extends to male-dominated workplaces, where menstrual health becomes stigmatised. Youngson, represented healthcare workers for Menstruation Rights Global, and pointed out the unique challenges they face - pressure to attend to patients due to understaffing, or unable to remove PPE (especially during the pandemic shortages) which prevents them from changing their menstrual products. This irony is stark in a professional system committed to health.

The impact on women in the workplace is significant, as menstrual stigma and lack of access to physical resources can affect both health and dignity. Stigma can lead to people missing out on vital medical attention and mental wellbeing support, while inadequate access to safe physical resources can increase the need for healthcare interventions. This, in turn, deprives menstruators of their right to dignity.

After the speakers there was an opportunity for networking with the speakers and other activists. I found myself in conversation with period educators who took different approaches, some in schools, some ran their own businesses. Other attendees were representatives from businesses or PhD candidates. Our networking chatter ranged from elements that were particularly inspirational, project changes that could be made together and some critique of elements of the legislation from what they have seen on the ground in their activism. That products in schools can become wasted and then are removed from easy access, for example. This analysis represented earlier points made by speakers that there is still further to go and that legislation is positive but is not a means to an end. Linking back to speakers' pleas for education to be ‘culturally and contextually consultive’ by being mindful that some menstruators need to wash pads prior to disposal to keep it from being haram as Daudi identified. The range of projects everybody was so enthused by lived up to the name of the event, the Future of Menstrual Health.

*Banner Promoting 'The Future of Menstrual Health in Scotland' Event*

Looking back, it was an enlightening event that allowed for reflection on our role in this great collective movement. What can Sanitree do to maintain our momentum and where will the momentum lead us next? As a movement we require resilience, and we need to actively resist complacence. Until the needs of all menstruators are met we need to get our foot in the door and use that foot to bring in menstruators from all walks of life to generate true period positive legislation, workplaces, and societies. We need to meet menstruators where they are, and continue the fight in celebration and as a call to action. I can’t wait to get involved with wherever the movement goes next alongside the speakers and attendees of the Future of Menstrual Health Event.

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