Free toiletries

Small municipality succeeds where the state fails

The period is a costly affair. One municipality is helping out.

(Bild: intimina)

The Tyrolean Green Party is calling for free hygiene products to combat menstrual poverty. The state is resisting. The municipality of Kramsach has already implemented it: "It's just a small thing," says the mayor.

"Are 100 tampons enough?", the first American astronaut, Sally Ride, was asked by NASA in 1984 before her six-day (!) mission into space. As great as NASA's knowledge of boundless space was at the time, its knowledge of the female body and menstruation was frighteningly limited. If you are still unclear on this topic: You definitely don't use 100 tampons in six days. Nevertheless, over the course of your life you will use a few and that costs money.

Regardless of whether you opt for tampons, pads, period underwear or a menstrual cup: It's not cheap - and that's not even counting painkillers. Those who can't afford it resort to using toilet paper - but this poses health risks.

Lack of access to menstrual products must not become an obstacle to participating in social life or going to school.

LA Zeliha Arslan (Grüne) in einem Antrag

Bild: Birbaumer Christof

Greens call for "red box" for district capitals
"Menstruation costs women and girls an average of 72 euros per year," reads a motion tabled by LA Zeliha Arslan (Greens) exactly one year ago. As 162,000 people in Tyrol are at risk of poverty, the member of parliament is calling for a "Red Box" for all nine district capitals in Tyrol. The Red Box already exists in Vienna: these are boxes containing free menstrual products.

However, the state, under the responsibility of LR Eva Pawlata (SPÖ), is putting the project on the back burner. The reason for this is that BIPA in Tyrol - unlike in Vienna, where the company provides the products free of charge - is not yet involved. For Tyrol, free menstrual products remain wishful thinking.

Mayor of Kramsach implements hygiene box
But not in the whole of Tyrol. In the municipality of Kramsach, Mayor and Member of Parliament Andreas Gang (FPÖ) has implemented such a project without much fanfare.

The office managers can simply contact the secretary's office when the boxes need to be refilled. My assistant takes care of the organization and purchasing. The project has been very well received so far.

Andreas Gang (FPÖ), Kramsacher Bürgermeister

Bild: Gemeinde Kramsach

"In my outer office, I overheard two girls talking about an OB - so I thought to myself: you know what, we'll buy a box and put the most important things in it - sanitary towels, tampons, deodorant," says the mayor. There is now a box like this in every household in Kramsach: in the crèches and kindergartens, in the nursing home, in the school and in the town hall. The products are easily included in the current budget. "Out of 180 employees, 150 are women. That's just a small thing and then you don't always have to think about what you need to have with you," says Gang, convinced by the project. It has been well and gladly accepted.

This is what the hygiene boxes in Kramsach look like.

(Bild: Gemeinde Kramsach)

Kramsach shows how easy it could be. The Greens hope that the state will overcome its bureaucratic hurdles and follow suit. LA Arslan promises to stay on top of the issue.