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Free Menstrual Products

Studenten im Forschungslabor
 

Free Menstrual Products at South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences

About 300-800 million people around the world menstruate every day. In the majority of cases, menstruating persons are responsible for their own adequate supply: unlike in Scotland, for example, there are still no legal regulations in Germany regarding the provision of free menstrual products in public facilities. Instead, tampons and sanitary pads usually have to be brought and paid for by the person concerned. However, this does not apply to other hygiene products such as toilet paper and soap.

As many other German universities and cities, the FH SWF states: The adequate provision of menstrual hygiene and health is a basic right that should be made available to everyone! This is why we are now providing dispensers with free menstrual products in many restrooms at all campuses of the FH SWF.

In doing so, we are clearly identifying a need and taking social responsibility for a health issue that is still associated with a high level of shame these days. We consider it a matter of course to support our students and employees in this regard: another small building block on the way to a more gender-equal university!

Your opinion is important to us! Thank you for taking the time to participate in our survey, which is available in German language: https://evaonline.fh-swf.de/evasys/online.php?p=Periode

Do you still have questions? You'll find the answers here!

Where do I find the dispensers?

Soest
  • Building 1 – Ground floor
  • Building 20 – Ground floor
  • Building 17 – First floor
  • Library
  • Audimax
Hagen
  • Machine hall
  • Audimax
  • Ground fllor (prehall)
  • Im Alten Holz Main building– Ground floor
Meschede
  • Lindenstraße:
    Room 2.1.32
  • Room 1.1.35
  • Room D 8.11
  • Jahnstraße
    Room 13.3.19
Iserlohn
  • Frauenstuhlweg:
    Building Z, AG Achse 5-18
  • Building H, First floor
  • Building H, Third floor
  • Baarstraße
    Ground floor

What is the purpose of the project?

People who menstruate are often faced with multiple burdens during their period: Besides the financial costs incurred each month, there is often additional physical pain and emotional stress. Furthermore, menstruation is still a taboo subject in our society and is often only talked about behind closed doors. In technical and scientific fields in particular, there are often not enough menstruating women, meaning that spontaneous help from others is often not possible. The nearest supermarket is also not always available to buy a new pack of tampons or sanitary towels between lectures, during lab practice or during the lunch break.

We provide free menstrual products for all our students and employees in order to reduce the financial and emotional burden for those affected.

How is the project financed?

The project is financed by the Equal Opportunities Officer. The state of NRW provides all universities with annual funding to implement measures for a gender-equal university. These funds are earmarked and therefore cannot be spent on other things. Other funds, such as semester fees, are not used.

That's nonsense, who needs something like that?

In Germany, many people support the provision of free menstrual products! According to a recent representative survey [1], 66% of the German population are in favour of free tampons and pads in public buildings. In another study [2], as many as 80% of the girls and women surveyed said that they would like free products in public buildings!

Increasingly, efforts have been made to provide free menstrual products to the public: Scotland is the pioneer here, but New Zealand and France are now also regulating the free distribution of menstrual products at universities. Numerous universities and cities in Germany are also taking the opportunity to make menstrual products available to everyone - and South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences is now part of this!

[1] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/soziales-mehrheit-fuer-kostenlose-menstruationsartikel-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-220816-99-406276
[2] https://www.plan.de/menstruation-im-fokus.html

Aren't menstruating women responsible for carrying enough menstrual products?

We say: no! Other hygiene products such as toilet paper and soap are also provided free of charge for everyone.

Moreover, even well-organised people can forget something! This should not be a reason for additional stress and shame, which in the worst-case scenario can lead to having to leave lectures or the working day at the university early. In addition, irregular cycles are common in many phases of life: it can therefore sometimes be impossible to predict exactly when your period will start.

Aren't free menstrual products unfair to people who don't need them?

There are many different needs of different people in our society: a certain degree of unequal treatment is therefore normal and is often even accepted by the majority!

The new dispensers do not disadvantage people who do not need tampons or pads. It's not about favouring anyone, but about compensating for biological disadvantages and making everyday life at work and university easier for menstruating women. We think that's fair!

Also: If you notice any other structural disadvantages due to your gender and you have ideas on how these can be tackled, please get in touch with the equal opportunities team!

Why are we talking about menstruating people and not just women and girls?

Not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate are also women! We know that the majority of menstruating people are women and girls, but non-binary and intersex people as well as trans men can also menstruate if they have a uterus. We aim to include everyone in our activities and raise awareness of gender diversity. That's why we also hang up some dispensers in men's toilets.