Anyone at the university that needs tampons or menstrual pads can now get them for free. The experiment providing free menstrual products will become policy all over the UG.
This decision is a reversal of the board of directors’ position on the matter a year ago, when student party Lijst Calimero proposed providing free menstrual products at all faculties. The Faculty of Economics and Business started a pilot experiment itself.
But the board initially didn’t agree with Lijst Calimero, saying that providing menstrual products wasn’t a job for the university. It was also worried that it would create a precedent and that the university would have to provide other products, such as contact lens solution. The faculties were free to continue the experiment themselves.
In June, students protested in an effort to convince more faculties to do so. They also collected three hundred signatures on a petition.
Assessment
An assessment of the pilot at the participating faculties showed that the students themselves hardly refilled the product in the bathrooms. This was one of the pillars of the experiment, but since it’s not particularly cost prohibitive, the university can take over refilling the product baskets. The UB, for example, will spend an estimated 150 euros on menstrual products a month.
The report also recommends purchasing the products from a facilities organisation. The same organisation would then be responsible for refilling the baskets in the bathrooms, especially the ones on the ground floor and others that are particularly busy.
Compliments
‘I’m really happy about the positive developments’, says Stijn van Hussen with Lijst Calimero during the university council meeting on Thursday. ‘I’ve spoken to people at other universities in the country and now understand that the UG is doing a great thing. Other places expect people to pay for it at least a little, so my compliments to the university.’