Šibenik-Knin County will provide about 60 thousand kuna for menstrual products for high school students. This was confirmed at a lecture and panel discussion on ‘Menstrual Poverty’ at the Arsen House of Art in Šibenik, organized by the Šibenik Youth Association, with the support of Kolektiv 4B, Fotopoetika, and attended by Šibenik-Knin Deputy Prefect Iris Ukic Kotarac. At the very beginning, the Š.U.M initiative was supported by numerous other associations, organizations, and individuals from the City of Šibenik area reports Dalmatinski Portal.
About 400 students in need
A lecture preceded the panel discussion by pedagogue, sociologist, and activist of the Šibenik Youth Association Maja Šintić on menstrual poverty, which presented the results of the Pariter research from Rijeka conducted at the national level and research conducted in Šibenik-Knin County.
“After surveying a sample of female students, we found that 8% of them often or sometimes cannot afford menstrual supplies. This is an estimate of about 400 students who often or sometimes do not have enough funds for menstrual needs, that is, to meet basic needs. That is why we have launched an initiative for schools to take on the role of protective factors, following the example of other environments and since female students spend significant time in school. Šibenik-Knin County reacted immediately by approving the purchase of free supplies for school toilets, and we hope that other founders will follow this example,” summed up Šintić.
Tara Šolić of the Šibenik School of Tourism and Hospitality Management actively participated in the research.
“This, let’s call it a movement, I find necessary because, although maybe these percentages of girls who need menstrual supplies seem small, these are significant numbers because that’s a basic human need for us women. And I feel stigma when I tell a physical education teacher that I wouldn’t do physical activities because I have my period, and it hurts. And I feel injustice because I have to ask the doctor for an excuse because I didn’t do physical education. So I consider this topic important because in 2021, we have these problems, and I think it is high time to treat girls and women equally,” said Tara at a panel discussion attended by Deputy Mayor Iris Ukić Kotarac and director of Elementary schools Meterize Margit Vrbičić.
First and foremost – lower taxes
The panel discussion raised the issue of civic education in schools, teaching in schools, and the culture of behavior, all to implement the introduction of hygiene / menstrual needs in educational institutions. But, of course, it was also about the 25 percent VAT that women pay to the state treasury by buying the basic things they need from month to month. The Croatian Parliament refused to reduce it, and the fight goes on.
Pariter has launched a petition to reduce VAT from 25% to 5% at the national level, which anyone can sign here.
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