Submitted by: Svenska Folkpartiet 

Noting that:

• Menstruation is a normal and essential part of human reproduction and female reproductive health.
• In many places menstruation is surrounded by taboos, shame and stigma and is considered controversial to discuss
• In some cultures recognised human and children’s rights are violated when women are punished with harsh treatment during menstruation, such as banishment to outdoor living conditions, or girls are required to withdraw from school, prejudicing their futures.
• 88% of women globally do not use commercial menstrual products
• Many women use things like rags, grass, ash, newspapers and toilet paper, which are not only inconvenient, but can lead to diseases, including cervical cancer, and infertility.
• The lack of soap and clean water in many places globally is a further health threat.
• Various stigmas that surround menstruation have an adverse effects on the health, mental health, education, employment and livelihoods of tens of millions of women and girls around the world.
• More than a third of all schools globally lack proper washrooms, which leads to many girls staying home during their period as they don’t have anywhere to wash up and change their menstrual products
• The lack of menstrual products by no means only an issue in the developing world, but a problem everywhere due to the high costs associated with the products
  

Believing  that:

• Menstrual products should to be available to all women, in appropriate and affordable ways.
• Women and girls should have access to clean water, soap and toilets, and appropriate information on menstruation and how to maintain good menstrual hygiene

Calls for:

• Member parties and Liberal organisations globally to work for more access to menstrual products – and less menstrual stigma
• More focus on menstrual hygiene management (not only having the right materials to absorb menstrual blood but the safe and hygienic means to dispose of said materials)
• Member parties and Liberal organisations globally to work for awareness to counter cultural norms that stigmatise menstruating women and girls.
• Member parties and Liberal organisations call on national and international human rights and children’s rights organisations to intensify efforts against gender discrimination and human rights violations associated with menstruation.