Although politicians and other responsible people all agree that hygiene products should be available to everyone in the 21st century, the question of who will pay for them is still not answered.
“We already have them from this school year, and of course we implemented so that every girl has the necessary hygiene products. We have two booths, and one of them has an inscription where these sanitary packages are available, there is a specific box that the cleaners replenish every day,” says Rūta Ramona-Vanaga, teacher of the 12th grade of Riga State 3rd Gymnasium.
Riga 3rd Gymnasium is one of the few schools in Latvia where feminine hygiene products are already available free of charge. Non-governmental organizations have been fighting for the implementation of this practice throughout the country for a long time, and in order to take a step further, an opportunity was found to provide free tampons and packages in all schools of Balvu and Aizkraukles districts until the end of May.
Ineta Ielīte, chairperson of the cooperation network of women’s non-governmental organizations, states: “Evaluate what the costs are, what purchases are needed, whether the consumption is adequate, and then go first to the Cabinet of Ministers together with the Ministry of Welfare.
The mayor of Balvu region, Sergejs Maksimovs (“Latgale party”), states: “This pilot project and these ideas are important in order to change public opinion and take care of the health of our expectant mothers, that’s the most important thing.”
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This pilot project will be sponsored by private manufacturers of hygiene products and local authorities do not hold out hope that this initiative will receive support from the state. At the same time, the implemented practice will most likely not disappear, as the costs are said to be high.
Leon Līdums (“Party of Vidzeme”)
Mayor of Aizkraukle region, “Vidzeme party”
If once we have told A, at least Balva and our county, we will no longer be able not to include this section in our budget in the fall. It will be a matter of our honor to introduce this, because if you look at the total expenditure on school maintenance, it is really not a large amount.
Colleagues are also encouraged by Jūrmala – initially hygiene products were provided only in the gymnasium, but since April – already in all schools of the region. Costs for the entire municipality – around 7,000 euros per year.
“There was, of course, concern that they would take it out, sell it, everything, but already in the first week we realized that it was the right decision, that it was the norm and there was really nothing, neither too much, nor too little, nor thrown away, we have smart girls, a smart society in fact,” says Ieva Taranda, director of the Jūrmala State Gymnasium.
On the other hand, Laura Trautmane, a 12th-grade student of Jūrmala State Gymnasium, admits: “Of course, it’s safer, because you don’t have to worry about it so much, that you always have a package or a tampon with you in your bag, so that you know if you forget that it’s available at school.”
Although everyone involved expressed the opinion that the provision of feminine hygiene products is self-evident and should no longer be avoided, there are still only discussions about this in the corridors of power. Although there is hope that a solution could be found as early as next year, the question of where to take the money is still not answered.
Minister of Welfare Uldis Augulis (ZZS) states: “This project is a horizontal issue, not the Ministry of Welfare has now found it in the budget, but everyone should be involved – the Ministry of Finance, Health, VARAM, Welfare, Education, so that we can provide things that are self-evident, but today, listening to the local government leaders, it seems at the moment that it is a matter of prestige for local governments, where when addressing a neighboring local government, you only have to ask if you really don’t have it?”
A study conducted in 2019 shows that every sixth girl missed school because she could not buy hygiene products.
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Tags: steps achieve availability free hygiene products Latvian schools
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