General Assembly Resolution # 647
Action on Period Poverty
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.
Concerned that many member states have not yet acted to expand access to menstrual products, which has led to menstruating students missing out on billions of hours of education every year (which can severely affect their life prospects) and low-income menstruators often having to use ineffective substitutes or even steal menstrual products, to name just two examples, and
Recognising the need to end this travesty once and for all in developed and developing nations alike...
The General Assembly hereby:
mandates that:
all hospitals in member states provide menstrual products for patients in genuine need who request them and staff,
all educational establishments in member states that do not solely educate or employ non-menstruators provide menstrual products for staff and students,
all employers in member states with toilet facilities which they expect to be used by menstruators provide menstrual products in those toilets for employees and customers,
all other operators of public toilet facilities likely to be used by menstruators in member states provide menstrual products in those toilets,
those menstrual products described in this Article be accessible, usable as intended by any menstruators foreseen to need them, free of charge, and first made available within six months of the passage of this resolution, and that
locations providing menstrual products under Articles a(i-iv) also provide bins designed for the safe disposal of those products,
requires each member state to:
raise awareness among its inhabitants of Article a's provisions,
provide that those students receiving a curriculum which contains every element of a basic education learn about periods in terms of biology, society, and physical and mental health, and
ensure that those entities within their jurisdiction described in Articles a(i-iv) comply with Article a; including by providing logistical and financial assistance to help them comply, and
recommends that members consider funding or otherwise supporting the provision of free and accessible menstrual supplies in other contexts, and
encourages members to work with civil society to end the stigmas surrounding periods.
Passed: |
For: | 9,195 | 57.8% |
Against: | 6,715 | 42.2% |