Free menstrual articles at schools: Plan International calls for access | World Menstruation Day campaign
Free menstrual articles at schools: Plan International calls for access | World Menstruation Day campaign
There must be access to free menstrual articles at all secondary schools and educational institutions in Germany. That is the requirement of Plan International Germany. On the occasion of the World Mental Day on May 28, the child rights organization had invited to a network meeting to the capital - motto: "Another period is possible!" This is also the name of the campaign that Plan has launched internationally in order to bundle the forces for a joint commitment to period poverty in Germany.
"It is great to see how many good local approaches there are to make access to period products easier in Germany. Our network work meeting in Berlin has shown this," says Katharina Hofmann, co -initiator of the "Another Period is possible" campaign at Plan International. "What is missing is a nationwide and uniform solution. We are committed to this and build a network. For this impetus, we get a lot of encouragement and support from the partner organizations and other actors. Everyone agrees: This initiative is a first big step. We will continue here. Together we will manage to bring the topic of period justice into the Bundestag."
The colleagues: Inside Plan International are included in Franka Frei, activist and author of "Period is political" and Dr. Barbara Hillen-Haas, who carried out a pilot project for free period products at the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and accompanied it scientifically. Both experts gave important impulses for further network work on the subject of period justice at the event and contributed to the development of the new alliance.
How great the need for access to free periodic products is also in Germany shows the survey "menstruation in focus" published by Plan International in 2022 together with Wash United, for which 16 to 49-year-olds were interviewed on the subject of period. This makes it clear that there is still no period of periods in Germany. For example, the cost of menstrual products, the group of younger ones (16 to 24 years), are facing financial challenges. Every third indicated that the expenditure for the period was a burden for them. Above all, menstruating in schools, training as well as in universities of applied sciences and universities are affected.
Central content of the "Another Period is possible" campaign are discussions with politicians: inside of different parties at local, state and federal level as well as the social media interview series "Tampon Talk" produced together with Pinkstinks, which has started on the World Menary Day. This is where Expert come: Inside and activist: Inside, which illuminate the topic of period justice from different perspectives. In addition, Plan invites operators: inside of restaurants, cafes and other public institutions to show with a sticker on the door that they already offer period -friendly toilets with free menstrual articles. The Sticker campaign is supported by the Berlin Periodan System Association.
All information about the "Another Period is possible" campaign and the possibility of ordering materials are on the website at: www.plan.de/anotherperiod
The demand for free access to menstrual articles at secondary schools and educational institutions in Germany will be raised by Plan International Germany in view of the World Menonary Day on May 28th. The child rights organization has invited to a network meeting in Berlin to create the "Another Period is possible!" Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to bundle the forces for a common commitment to period poverty and to achieve a nationwide uniform solution. At the network meeting, existing local initiatives have already been discussed and the partner organizations and other players: Inside, support for the initiative showed. Experts like Franka Frei, activist and author of "Period is political", and Dr. Barbara Hillen-Haas, which carries out a pilot project for free period products, provided important impulses for networking.
A survey published in 2022 "Menstruation in focus" in cooperation with Wash United showed that there is still no period of periods in Germany. The cost of menstrual products in particular present the group of younger people with financial challenges, with each third indicating that expenses for the period are a burden. Especially students: inside, trainees and students at universities of applied sciences and universities are affected.
In order to focus on the subject of period justice, Plan is planning internationally discussions with politicians: inside at local, state and federal level. In addition, the social media interview series "Tampon Talk" started in collaboration with Pinkstinks, at the expert: Interior and activist: Inside, various aspects around the topic of menstruation illuminate. Furthermore, Plan invites operators: inside of restaurants, cafes and other public institutions, by attaching a sticker to show that they offer period -friendly toilets with free menstrual articles. The Berlin PeriodSystem Association supports this sticker campaign.
In a table, information about the “Another Period is possible” is provided:
| Name | Campaign "Another Period is possible" |
| - | - |
| Initiators | Plan International Germany |
| Supporter | Franka Frei, Dr. Barbara Hillen-Haas |
| Central content | Talks with politicians: inside, social media interview series "Tampon Talk", free menstrual items in public institutions |
| Support | Berlin Association Periodic System |
| Website | www.plan.de/anotherperiod |