Free menstrual products
Pilot project at the University of Halle
As part of a pilot project, the University of Halle will provide its students and employees with free access to menstrual products at selected locations from summer 2024. By providing tampons and sanitary pads free of charge, the university is continuing to promote equal opportunities in every area of university life.
At the end of the year, the response, usage, criticism and suggestions for improvement will be evaluated and a decision made on the "whether" and "how" to continue the offer based on this evaluation.
What does menstruation have to do with equal opportunities?
If a menstruating person has no or only limited financial resources available to purchase suitable menstrual products, this is referred to as "period poverty". Students with a low income can be particularly affected by this. They may stay at home during their period and miss classes, for example.
Menstrual cycles are not always regular. It can happen that menstrual bleeding occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. This can lead to embarrassing situations such as bloody stains on clothing. This can also cause people to miss classes.
Access to free menstrual products also enables participation in such moments and leads to a work and study-friendly atmosphere in which menstruating people can concentrate on their studies or work with a sense of security, without the lack of menstrual products being a mental or financial burden.
Which products are provided?
Fixed wall dispensers are used to provide pads (size: "normal", without wings) and tampons (size: "normal").
Who is the offer intended for?
The offer is aimed at menstruating persons who are dependent on the provision of free menstrual products in order to be able to participate in everyday university life, in particular:
- People for whom the purchase of menstrual products is a heavy burden due to their financial situation.
- People who are surprised by their menstruation in everyday university life and do not have suitable products with them.
The service is not intended to and cannot permanently cover the full needs of all menstruating people at the university and is intended exclusively as a supply for 'emergencies'. We ask all users to only take out as many items as they urgently need. Should regular misuse become apparent instead, this is an argument against the continuation of the project.
How is the project financed?
The costs of the pilot project are borne by the Rectorate and the Student Council.
At the Faculty of Medicine, the costs are borne by the Dean's Office.
Locations
The locations will be announced here as soon as the dispensers have been installed.
Contact
Do you have any questions or feedback on the project? Please feel free to send an e-mail to: antidiskriminierung@uni-halle.de