Campaign launched to alleviate period poverty in schools
A new campaign has launched in England in a bid to provide free menstrual products for schoolchildren.
Across the UK 49 per cent of girls have missed a day of school due to periods, while one in 10 women aged 14 to 21 are unable to afford period products.
The Free Periods project aims to ensure no one should be forced to be absent from school due to not having pads or tampons.
In London alone 80,000 young women and girls are impacted by period poverty.
It was announced in 2018 that free sanitary products will be made available to pupils in Scotland as part of a £5.2m project.
Amika George, founder of Free Periods said: "I am tired of the government's inaction and so, just over one year on from our Free Periods protest to Parliament, I am proud to launch a legal campaign, calling on the UK government to provide free, universally accessible menstrual products in schools and colleges.
"With support from others, we are confident that we can bring positive change to our communities by offering young girls access to the menstrual products they need in order to participate in their education, which is their fundamental human right."
Free periods aims to raise funds for legal costs, as they need to get £10,000 within 30 days to allow pledges to be collected.
To support the campaign visit the Free Periods crowdfunding page