Harlow councillor continues to campaign over period poverty

News / Mon 31st Mar 2025 at 09:04am

A SENIOR Harlow Labour councillor has continued to campaign over period poverty.

Councillor Kay Morrison asked a number of questions to the portfolio holder, cllr Danielle Brown.

The questions and film are below.

Councillor Kay Morrison to Councillor Danielle Brown (Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing):

Cost of living challenges continue to affect lives in our country. Necessities are sometimes unaffordable: amongst those for many, shockingly, are female hygiene products.

One in 4 women cannot afford them, sometimes resorting to toilet paper and other surprising solutions.

State-maintained schools and 16-19 education settings in England can access free period products funded by the Department of Education. Yet, a third of teenage girls miss school because of periods according to a recent survey; of those, more than 1 in 10 said they have no access to sanitary products and 11% said they can’t afford them.

They’re not alone.

Morrison’s will provide a couple of sanitary pads in an emergency. Harlow’s Playhouse makes such products available and foodbanks supply them.

Some local authorities offer free period products and, recognising that the very subject is still potentially embarrassing, meet the need discreetly, confidentially.

How does Harlow Council support women and girls struggling to buy essential sanitary products and what further measures will be introduced?

Reply from Councillor Danielle Brown (Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing):

The council does not provide sanitary products to women and girls. The council supports the Harlow Foodbank who provide sanitary products, and Harvey Centre who have been working to tackle period poverty since 2021.

2 Comments for Harlow councillor continues to campaign over period poverty:

Seamus

2025-03-31 13:24:46

That 1 in 4 people figure came from a survey of just 2,000 people paid for by Water Aid. It's wording is incendary as it lists the problem as "The international charity surveyed 2,000 British people who menstruate" Those people are called young girls and women. Another little known thing which mostly effects Males, those who have had prostate cancer surgery often have to wear adult nappies for a number of months after the operation, whilst the body starts to rebuild the basic functions again but most have to pay for them themselves .

Mr T

2025-03-31 13:31:48

Can’t afford it or want it for free? People think they are in poverty but have iPhones, internet, tattoos, cigarettes, expensive trainers etc etc.. if you can’t afford tampons get a job.