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‘The Foodbank Project’ targets the most vulnerable
Media release
27 July 2016
New Zealand Union of
Students' Associations and Tertiary Women New
Zealand
‘The Foodbank Project’ targets the most vulnerable
The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) and Tertiary Women New Zealand (TWNZ) congratulate the forward thinking move of a number of groups who are working to provide free sanitary products to secondary and tertiary students.
Labour MP for Manurewa, Louisa Wall, Countdown, and the Salvation Army have joined forces to provide students with sanitary products, in an attempt to remove the burden from students already struggling to make ends meet.
“Menstruation affects a number of people and negatively impacts many gender minority and women students,” say TWNZ Officers Izzy O’Neill and Ella Cartwright.
NZUSA President Linsey Higgins acknowledges the immense pressure that menstruating students are under. “We know there are students who are making the hard decision between getting an education and acknowledging their biological processes. The heart-breaking stories raised by Louisa Wall and Nevada Lee-Mariu echo those that we hear from tertiary students.”
“Menstruation continues to have significant stigma attached to it and it can deny those on low incomes a sense of agency. There is a considerable sense of humiliation and shame attached to those who are without the appropriate means to manage their period.”
“Tertiary students are particularly vulnerable, with their low income and high living costs, menstruation is just another cost that people struggle to manage into their budgets.”
“The idea of sanitary products being a ‘luxury item’ is laughable. There is little choice as to whether people menstruate or not. There is a literal cost to people who menstruate that others in society do not have to pay. In an unsupportive society, menstruation causes inequality."
“We would love to see people have greater access to sustainable sanitary products including reusable pads and menstrual cups which create significant cost savings in the long run and are better for our environment.”
NZUSA and TWNZ hope that this is the beginning of a process whereby the all political parties commit to ensuring all people have access to sanitary products regardless of their background.
ENDS
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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