This Council recognises that children in Medway, in much the same way as those from across the United Kingdom, are suffering from period poverty as a result of being unable to afford menstrual products. This has far reaching effects; research from the charity Freedom4Girls has shown that thousands of young women are missing school every month and a survey by Plan International UK showed that one in ten women or girls aged 14 to 21 in Britain cannot afford sanitary towels.
This Council wishes to place on record its clear and unwavering commitment to tackling and ending period poverty in Medway. No girl should be marginalised or made to suffer because they cannot afford menstrual products.
As a result, this Council will:
1. write to The Right Honourable Damian Hinds MP, Secretary of State for Education, to express our support for the Government providing free menstrual products for all school girls who are in receipt of free school meals;
2. conduct a review of the Council’s budget with the aim of providing funding for all of Medway’s schools and academies to provide menstrual products for all school girls who are in receipt of free school meals.
Minutes:
“This Council recognises that children in Medway, in much the same way as those from across the United Kingdom, are suffering from period poverty as a result of being unable to afford menstrual products. This has far reaching effects; research from the charity Freedom4Girls has shown that thousands of young women are missing school every month and a survey by Plan International UK showed that one in ten women or girls aged 14 to 21 in Britain cannot afford sanitary towels.
This Council wishes to place on record its clear and unwavering commitment to tackling and ending period poverty in Medway. No girl should be marginalised or made to suffer because they cannot afford menstrual products.
As a result, this Council will:
1. write to The Right Honourable Damian Hinds MP, Secretary of State for Education, to express our support for the Government providing free menstrual products for all school girls who are in receipt of free school meals;
2. conduct a review of the Council’s budget with the aim of providing funding for all of Medway’s schools and academies to provide menstrual products for all school girls who are in receipt of free school meals.”
The Portfolio Holder for Adults’ Services, Councillor Brake, supported by Councillor Purdy, proposed the following amendment:
“Paragraph 1, Line 1: Delete ‘in Medway, in much the same way as those from’
Paragraph 2, Line 1: Insert ‘This Council thanks the Medway Public Health Department for taking action in 2017 to see if this was an issue locally. Whilst no schools in Medway have requested assistance,’ before ‘This Council wishes to place…’
Paragraph 2, Line 2: Delete ‘tackling and ending’ and replace with ‘continuing to prevent’
Paragraph 3, Line 1: Delete everything after ‘As a result, this Council will’ and replace with ‘refer this issue for further in depth discussion at the earliest opportunity to the Medway Health and Wellbeing Board, as the most appropriate forum for any action as appropriate.”
On being put to the vote, the amendment was agreed.
Decision:
This Council recognises that children across the United Kingdom are suffering from period poverty as a result of being unable to afford menstrual products. This has far reaching effects; research from the charity Freedom4Girls has shown that thousands of young women are missing school every month and a survey by Plan International UK showed that one in ten women or girls aged 14 to 21 in Britain cannot afford sanitary towels.
This Council thanks the Medway Public Health Department for taking action in 2017 to see if this was an issue locally. Whilst no schools in Medway have requested assistance, this Council wishes to place on record its clear and unwavering commitment to continuing to prevent period poverty in Medway. No girl should be marginalised or made to suffer because they cannot afford menstrual products.
As a result, this Council will refer this issue for further in depth discussion at the earliest opportunity to the Medway Health and Wellbeing Board, as the most appropriate forum for any action as appropriate.