This measure will come into force next year. To benefit from these reusable periodic protections, you will have to go to a pharmacy, “without a prescription”, in order to be reimbursed by Social Security.
An important statement, as International Women’s Day approaches. On the set of the program “C à vous”, Monday March 6 on France 5, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced “reimbursement by the Social Security of reusable periodic protections from next year”. A measure intended to “all young women under the age of 25” In France.
This initiative should partly respond to the problem of menstrual precariousness, which affects more and more French women and especially young people, according to a study by OpinionWay for the association Rules Elementary (PDF document) made public on Monday. What is the extent of this problem in France? What exactly is the proposal of the head of government, and what were the measures already in force? Response elements.
1 What did Elisabeth Borne announce about periodic protection?
“I find it unthinkable that women cannot have the protections they need”, declared the Prime Minister on the set of “C to you”, Monday evening. “SO I am announcing that we are going to set up reimbursement by Social Security for reusable periodic protection, starting next year. These include, for example, menstrual cups, washable sanitary napkins or even menstrual panties.
This measure will concern all young women aged 25 and under, said the Prime Minister. It will come into force “during 2024”, according to the government website.
To benefit from these reusable periodic protections, you will have to go to a pharmacy, “without prescription”, in order to be reimbursed by Social Security. “Menstrual poverty is a reality that affects too many women. It is a daily injustice”, continued Elisabeth Borne on Twitter on Monday evening.
According to Matignon, the cost of this measure is at this stage estimated at between 30 and 50 million euros. The government will later specify the terms of this initiative, but Matignon ensures that exchanges will be launched soon with the manufacturers of these products.. Finally, the services of the Prime Minister refer to a “ecological dimension” of this policy, which relates to reusable products.
On Tuesday morning, the government added on its website that it would also help “communities and establishments to install distributors of periodic protection”, especially in middle and high schools. The executive also assures that it “will double credits to associations by [à] 2027, so that they can buy and distribute 30 to 40% reusable periodic protection for women in precariousness”.
2 What were the measures already in force in France?
In 2021, the then Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, had announced the free distribution of periodic protections “environmentally friendly” in universities and Crous residences in France. “We are aiming for 1,500 distributors and complete free admission at the start of the school year” 2021, she then added.
In September 2021, when students returned to school, some 500 distributors of periodic protection had been installed, according to the new team from the Ministry of Higher Education interviewed by franceinfo. This affirmed that the installation of these distributors was continuing, but that the initial objective of 1,500 machines installed had not yet been reached by the end of May 2022. According to Matignon, 1,000 distributors have been installed at this stage in university residences. The government wishes to create a map of these distributors to facilitate student access to these products.
3 How big is the problem of menstrual poverty in the country?
The association Rules Elementary, which fights against menstrual precariousness, published a survey on this subject on Monday, carried out by Opinion Way. “In 2021, it was estimated that 2 million women were in a situation of menstrual poverty. In 2023, (…) the report is clear: in two years, the number of women facing menstrual precariousness has doubled”, alert the association.
In detail, just over 3.8 million women aged 18 to 50 in France report living in a situation of menstrual precariousness. This represents 31% of menstruating women between the ages of 18 and 50. About 2.5 million people have recently had to go without sanitary protection at least once due to financial difficulties, and 1.2 million women have had to “to renounce other essential goods” to be able to buy protections.
Young people, as well as single mothers, “are on the front line”, alert Basic rules. According to the study, 30% of young women aged 18 to 24 have already had to go without periodic protection for lack of money, and 14% “are frequently financially unable to access periodic protection”. According to the association’s survey, the problem of menstrual precariousness affects almost half of French women aged between 18 and 24.
4 Have other solutions emerged abroad?
From August 2022, sanitary pads have been available free of charge to all women in Scotland. According to the Menstrual Poverty Act, passed in 2020 and coming into force last summer, all Scottish local authorities, schools and universities must provide free menstrual products to “anyone who needs it”. An application, PickMyPeriod, allow to find the nearest distribution points around you. Scotland has thus become the first nation in the world to offer free protection to fight menstrual poverty, underlines the BBC (article in English). Since 2018, these products have already been offered in schools and universities.
The first results of the application of the law against menstrual poverty, published by the Scottish authorities (article in English) at the end of the year, show that just under half of those questioned had already had access to this free protection. For 21% of them, it was a financial question, in a context of high inflation in the United Kingdom. Finally, nine out of ten respondents said they had access to enough protections to meet their needs.
Other countries have also taken steps to address menstrual poverty. These include New Zealand, which has offered free protection to all students since 2021 (and for three years).