Students advocate for free menstrual products in schools after survey reveals low access in Denmark

Less than 10% of school students have access to free menstrual products like pads or tampons in their school restrooms, according to a survey conducted by Epinion. Many students must either borrow supplies from teachers or make a quick trip to a nearby store if they find themselves in need. For those who already have a tampon in their bag, getting out discreetly can be awkward, as over half of girls aged 12-14 find it “embarrassing” to change menstrual products during school hours.

Disa Melanie Grønbæk Larsen, a ninth-grade student at 4kløverskolen in Ørbæk, advocates for breaking the stigma surrounding menstruation. To promote this, she has successfully installed a vending machine that provides free pads and tampons on campus. She expressed frustration that menstruation is often treated as taboo, sharing her own experiences of menstrual leaks at school.

Due to the lack of readily accessible menstrual products, some students occasionally have to leave school when their period starts, according to school principal Jennie Thomsen. She praised the vending machine as a positive addition to the school, noting her initial concerns about potential messiness were unfounded, as students respect the availability of the products.

Currently, there is one vending machine at 4kløverskolen, for which the school allocates an annual budget of 1,500 DKK. Grønbæk Larsen hopes this initiative will lead to easier conversations about menstruation among students and inspire other schools to adopt similar measures. In Albertslund Municipality, free menstrual products have been included in school budgets since late last year, demonstrating a growing recognition of the need for accessible hygiene products in schools.