Scotland has become the first country in the world to provide universal access to free period products, building on the work of North Ayrshire which has been providing tampons and and sanitary towels in its public buildings since 2017.

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, passed unanimously on Tuesday, November 24, places a legal duty on local authorities to make period products available for all those who need them.

The vote followed a four-year campaign spearheaded by Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman, Monica Lennon, who said it was ‘a signal to the world that free universal access to period products can be achieved’.

She added: “Scotland will not be the last country to make period poverty history.”

Period poverty – the struggle to pay for basic sanitary products on a monthly basis – has been a particularly bad problem in Scotland with charities finding as many as 45 percent of survey respondents having to use makeshift sanitary wear.

Joe Cullinane, leader of North Ayrshire Council (NAC), said: “Massive well done to Monica Lennon on an amazing campaign. We in [NAC] have been proud to support you by taking action to period products to our residents in schools and community settings.”

In August 2017, NAC made period products available across its secondary schools - with over 13,000 products use by young women in the first year of the scheme.

The following year, NAC provided them in all public buildings including libraries and community centres.

It is estimated that last week’s bill could cost around £8.7 million a year by 2022, dependant on the number of women who take up the free products.

Ms Lennon, in a supporting document, said it was reasonable to expect 20 percent uptake of the scheme given official inequality statistics show nearly 20 percent of women in Scotland live in relative poverty.

In March this year, when North Ayrshire Council distributed over 4,000 free sanitary products to school pupils, Councillor Cullinane said: “Sanitary products are a necessity, not a choice.

“I wish for no person in North Ayrshire to find themselves in the embarrassing and often degrading situation of having to use improper sanitary protection simply because they cannot afford it.

“Periods are not exempt from poverty – they don’t take account of what is in your pocket or purse. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we should continue to develop ways in which to tackle this gendered inequality.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them.”