Proposed by: Emily Brandon (BL Women's Representative)
Seconded by: Jack Juckes (VP Welfare), Ellora Kamineni (BL Welfare Rep), Robert Tucker (BL LGBT+ Rep), Lucy Edgar (BL Disabled and SLD Rep)
Ongoing
What do you want?
I want the Union to lobby the University to:
- Establish a long-term scheme to fund and distribute free menstrual products on campus.
- Develop this scheme with QMSU and student representative involvement. This should include an agreement between the University and the Students' Union on types of menstrual products and the practicalities of distribution.
- Make a commitment to expanding this scheme over time to further increase access to free menstrual products for QMUL students.
Why do you want it?
- Access to menstrual products is essential for the welfare of students who have periods.
- Lack of access impacts on student wellbeing, including by negatively affecting students' mental health, physical health, finances, and education.
- Lack of access can act as a direct barrier to attending university teaching, and to participating in other aspects of university life such as sport and societies.
- Students need to be able to easily access the menstrual products they need when they need them, without financial barriers.
What impact will this have?
- This will improve access to menstrual products for students who need them.
- Availability of free products will reduce the inequitable financial burden of periods on students who menstruate.
- A commitment from the Union and the University to addressing this issue may also contribute to tackling the stigma surrounding menstruation.
- Improvement of student wellbeing, for the above reasons.