Moncton library provides tampons, pads to address menstrual insecurity

The Moncton public library has started offering free menstrual products in its public bathrooms in an effort to address menstrual insecurity.

"We're a public place," said city librarian Chantal Bellemare.

"It's a place everyone can feel welcome. There's no socioeconomicbarrier to go to the library."

Just like food insecurity refers to being without access to a sufficient quantity of nutritious food, some refer to menstrual, or period,insecurity when talking aboutwomen who may skimp on menstrual products to make ends meet.

The idea came from a library employee a few months ago,who felt many women in the city had trouble affording the products.

Staff now place pads and tampons in small baskets in all the library'sbathrooms. The program started earlier this month.

There's been a pushright across the country to make the products more accessible. The argument in favour is if toilet paper and soap are freeso shouldthe items women have no choice to use.

Nova Scotia, for instance,started a similar program in libraries and public schools earlier this year.

'Absolutely wonderful'

Advocates welcome the move, especially in light of a rising female homeless population in the city.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful," said Melissa Arsenault, child and youth intervener at Moncton's Crossroads for Women.

Of the 131 people known to be homeless in the Moncton area, 73 are women.

It's not just women on the streets who face the issue, Arsenault said. Some live at the poverty line, but because they have a roof over their heads, they don't qualify to receive some services.

For them, saving a few bucks each month can make a big difference.

Though Crossroads for Women does offer menstrual products to those who need it, Arsenault said sometimes not having to ask makes all the difference.

"The library is directly downtown. So they can easily just go into the library, take it and not have that semblance of shame, that guilt that they sometimes feel for asking for help."

"It's there, it's accessible and no one's looking at it. They can just go in and out."

More to be done

But much remains to be done to break down barriers, she said.

After removing the federal tax from menstrual products in 2015, Ottawa is now contemplating offering menstrual products in public workplaces.

• More women than men are homeless as Moncton waits for shelter to open

• High school students in Fredericton access free tampons in pilot project

A 2018 survey from Plan Canada International, cited in the government's notice, suggested that a third of women under age 25 found it difficult to afford menstrual products.

It alsosaid almost three-quarters had missed work for reasons connected to menstruation.

Now Arsenault hopes to see businesses downtown follow the lead.

"I think there needs to be more movement from the entire society," she said.

"It's just as simple as leaving a box in the bathroom for it to be used it's a small purchase on the businesses sideto help so many people."