Ms. Global: Scotland Eliminates Period Product Fees; Poland's Pride March; Nonbinary Joan of Arc De

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Ms. Global: Scotland Eliminates Period Product Fees; Poland’s Pride March; Nonbinary Joan of Arc Debuts at Globe Theatre
9/13/2022 by Hannah Phelps

The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to health care. But Ms. has always understood: Feminist movements around the world hold answers to some of the U.S.’s most intractable problems. Ms. Global is taking note of feminists worldwide.


Scotland
+ Scotland paves way for period poverty movement, eliminating fees for period products.

Menstrual products, including pads and tampons, will now be offered free of charge in public facilities—including pharmacies, education providers and community centers—across Scotland. In Nov. 2020, lawmakers unanimously passed The Period Products bill, the first of its kind in the fight against period poverty. “Providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to accessing them. This is more important than ever at a time when people are making difficult choices due to the cost of living crisis and we never want anyone to be in a position where they cannot access period products,” said Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison. In the United Kingdom as a whole, one in 10 girls (ages 14-21) reported difficulties affording period products. In the U.S., approximately 14 percent of college students struggle to afford period products, according to George Mason University. “We are the first but won’t be the last,” wrote Monica Lennon, Scottish Labour lawmaker, who introduced the bill in 2019.

Scotland's Period Products Act went into effect, making Scotland the first country in the world to offer free period products! pic.twitter.com/UMmfmHAlSO

Link to tweet

— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) September 11, 2022

Pakistan
+ Amid floods, volunteers provide menstrual product access. Over 30 million individuals have been affected by record floods covering the country, rendering thousands homeless. With half of the victims women and girls, aid organizations (such as the Mahwari Justice campaign) have developed supports to provide menstrual hygiene product access.Since June, founder Bushra Mahnoor and colleague Anum Khalid have mobilized funds and volunteers to pack and distribute emergency sanitary kits containing pads, underwear and soap. Each kit costs 200 rupees ($.90) to make. “Periods do not stop during floods. Women need this assistance,” said Mahnoor.

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Singapore
+ Singapore sees mixed progress for LGBTQ+ rights movement.

On Aug. 21, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore announced the government would repeal a colonial-era law criminalizing sex between two consenting men. “Private sexual behavior between consenting adults does not raise any law and order issue … This will bring the law into line with current social mores and I hope provide some relief to gay Singaporeans,” said Lee. Reversing the law, known as Section 377A, has long been an objective of gay-rights activists in Singapore. During the recent Pink Dot pride rally, activists spoke of the harsh discrimination they face, ending the night with the cry to “Repeal 377A.” “To me, repealing 377A is the first step to reclaiming what it means to be normal. Discrimination is legally sanctioned, in a country that professes the right of every citizen to equal protection before the law,” said Remy Choo, a lawyer and LGBTQ+ activist.

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Papua New Guinea


Papua New Guinea has elected Rufina Peter, the first woman to parliament in over a decade and the eighth MP in the country’s history. An economist, Peter originally ran for office out of frustration over the deterioration of infrastructure, social services and living conditions. “Rufina is intelligent. She stands for everything we call democracy and good governance,” said Dr. Orovu Sepoe, political scientist and expert on women’s activism in Papua New Guinea. In 2017, Peter ran for office and received the most votes of any female candidate in the country, although 2022 was the first time she was elected. She worked full time toward her 2022 election, traveling around the country to hand out her C.V. and persuade voters to support a female candidate. “I had to challenge them about the perceptions of women, especially women in leadership. I would just use the analogy of a woman in a home, and what she does when she wakes up, how many jobs she gets done before she sleeps … And then I say, ‘pick a woman who is qualified to run for this office, and don’t you think she is going to do the same in this house, this parliament house?’ Of course she is,” said Peter.
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https://msmagazine.com/2022/09/13/ms-global-scotland-poland-joan-of-arc/