Period poverty is a societal issue of increasing urgency in the context of the current cost-of-living crisis - impacting millions of people around the world, including in the UK and Ireland. Research has shown that in UK higher education at least 25% of women and people who menstruate have struggled to access or afford period products.

As part of Period Dignity @ Queen’s, the University has now installed 43 free period product vending units in bathrooms, including all-access bathrooms, located across the main University campus and in key sites on the wider campus.

The scheme follows pilots by the Students’ Union and the Student Wellbeing Team providing free period products in the Library, Graduate School and One Elmwood, and similar pilots by Athena Swan Champions in their Schools.

Professor Karen McCloskey, Director of Queen’s Gender Initiative, said:

“Our aim is to support equality and dignity for everyone and to ensure that lack of access to period products does not impact on an individual’s ability to fully participate in education at all levels.

“We hope that providing free period products will help our students, staff and visitors – whether needing period products in the moment or being impacted by period poverty.”

 
Sustainability

The University’s Estates Directorate has secured a new contract, which will come into effect in June 2024, to facilitate the sustainable approach needed.

Peter Erwin, Acting Director of Estates, commented:

"In line with Queen’s Net Zero Plan and to achieve our sustainability ambitions, we work to ensure that we integrate climate action into all that we do.

“We are delighted that our new contract will enable us to offer responsibly-sourced, eco-friendly or sustainable period products through our bathroom vending machines, enabling us to better support both personal and planetary health.”

 
Vending machine locations

A list of period product vending unit locations is available on our website.

 
Further information

For further information or to provide feedback on the provision, please contact the Queen’s Gender Initiative Athena Swan team: swan@qub.ac.uk.