Starting in September 2021, designated female and gender-neutral washrooms in Bluewater District School Board schools and facilities serving students in Grades 4 to 12 will offer free accessible menstrual hygiene products.

In alignment with Bluewater District School Board’s mission “to provide a quality education for every student in a safe, accepting, and caring environment”, this initiative exemplifies the continued efforts to eliminate barriers for all students regardless of gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic background.

While menstrual hygiene products have always been made available to Bluewater District School Board students upon request, these items will be more widely accessible for students in washrooms to ensure privacy. Easy access to free high-quality menstrual hygiene products is fundamentally a human rights issue and crucial to student health, well-being, and success by increasing confidence, respecting dignity, reducing potential financial burden, and mitigating student absences.

Product dispensers are being installed in designated female school washrooms, and product supplies provided in those designed for gender-neutral use. A generous supply of products, which includes menstrual pads and tampons, will be provided to schools annually. There will be no cost to students who require the products.

“This initiative is about achieving equity in a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning space when accessing essential hygiene products,” says Bluewater District School Board Superintendent of Education Keith Lefebvre. “We are thrilled to move forward in accommodating this important access for our students, and thank our previous student senators and other advocates who have helped to lay the groundwork in making this happen.”

source: media release, BWDSB