We write to you today about the issue of Period Poverty in South Australia.

In late 2019, The Commissioner for Children and Young People released a report titled "Leave No One Behind", highlighting the effects of period poverty on students in South Australia. The report emphasized the challenges young women and girls are confronted with at school when it comes to the affordability of sanitary products and the anxiety associated with menstrual hygiene management.

74% of schools surveyed in the report believed access to sanitary products was an issue for their students and 20% of schools reported that teachers are purchasing products for students out of their own money.

Together, we have been working to address period poverty through the parliament. We recently passed the ‘Free Menstrual Hygiene Products Pilot Program Bill 2020’ in the Upper House. The Bill will soon be introduced in the Lower House.

Periods don’t stop for pandemics. The lack of mobility due to self-isolation, panic buying and loss in income for families as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has created even more barriers to students who need to access these essential items.

We encourage you to support our campaign through sharing the attached poster and petition in common places, with your networks and individual supporters.

Please return completed petition pages to EndPeriodPovertySA@gmail.com. You can also track progress of the petition on https://www.facebook.com/End-Period-Poverty-in-SA102655804808402.

If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate our offices. We would also be happy to come along to upcoming meetings to discuss the campaign in detail.

Yours sincerely,

Hon Irene Pnevmatikos MLC Pnevmatikos.Office@Parliament.sa.gov.au

8237 9469