Training board in southwest Japan to inventory free interval merchandise at school loos
A donation box for unused feminine hygiene products is seen at the Miyazaki Prefecture Equality Center in Miyazaki City on April 27, 2021. (Mainichi / Kenta Somatani)
MIYAZAKI – An education committee in the prefecture of southwest Japan has decided to provide free feminine hygiene products in all 52 school toilets in the prefecture from early December as part of a nationwide movement to respond to “period poverty”. in which women cannot afford pads or tampons.
The Education Committee of Miyazaki Prefecture tested the initiative for free sanitary products for six weeks at a total of seven middle, high and special schools from the end of August this year and conducted a survey. A total of 512 pupils or around 30% of the pupils in the schools took part in the survey, of which 156 or 30.5% used the free sanitary products.
When asked whether they had or had difficulty buying or getting period products, a total of 52 people, or 10%, said they had difficulties “sometimes” or “every time”. When asked where they would like to stock the free products, 453 or 73% chose “bathroom stands”.
On the basis of the survey, the education committee decided on the place for the stocking of period products for girls’ toilets. The costs are covered from each school’s general operating budget, which is used to purchase toilet paper and other supplies.
Yumi Toyama, a director of the Miyazaki Gender Equality Nonprofit, which is involved in collecting and distributing unused toiletries in a donation box at the Miyazaki Prefectural Center for Gender Equality, said society is changing into a better one Direction. She added, “Now that the prefectural government has taken action, we expect a ripple effect to spread to urban elementary and middle schools. I hope people will soon have access (to hygiene products) like toilet paper.”
(Japanese original by Kenta Somatani, Miyazaki Bureau)
