Free menstrual products
At the Institute of Physics, located at Newtonstraße 15, free menstrual products are available in the restrooms (in all all-gender and women’s restrooms): tampons and pads, each in one variant.
Why is this important?
The products in question are hygiene items that, much like toilet paper, are part of everyday use. Providing them prevents disadvantages for menstruating students and staff while they are at the institute and counteracts the mental strain caused by the worry of lacking these products.
The relevance can be empirically demonstrated: A nationwide survey by Plan International (2021) found that 23% of respondents perceive the purchase of menstrual products as a financial burden, and 29% sometimes avoid public spaces during their period because toilets are poorly equipped or unhygienic (p. 7). A study by the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University (2021) further showed that 35.1% of respondents occasionally needed menstrual products during their time at university but had no access to them, and 88% of menstruating individuals expressed fear of an uncomfortable situation due to missing items (pp. 45, 49).
What is period poverty?
Menstruating people depend on menstrual products. Those who cannot acquire them due to financial constraints suffer from period poverty. This phenomenon is widespread globally – the World Bank estimates that over 500 million people lack adequate access to menstrual hygiene – but it also affects students in Germany.
The study Poverty among Students in Germany (Paritätische Forschungsstelle) shows that around 30% of all students live below the poverty line; for at least half, hygiene articles represent an additional financial burden. Monthly expenses for menstrual health are estimated at five to 35 euros (Menstruation in Focus, Plan International/WASH United). A survey at the University of Passau (2021) found that 20% of the surveyed students cannot afford menstrual products. Affected individuals may resort to unhygienic alternatives or avoid attending university.
Institutional Anchoring
The provision of free menstrual products at universities has gained significant momentum in recent years. In 2021, the University of Potsdam became the first higher education institution in Brandenburg to launch the two-year pilot project “PeriodUP,” funded by the university administration and the student parliament. In conjunction with the free provision of products, the Coordination Office for Equal Opportunities initiated the event series “Once a Month” and the podcast “Let's Talk. Period” to break the taboo surrounding menstruation and normalize the topic in society. Similar initiatives have emerged at many universities on the basis of student-led efforts, for example at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Philipps University of Marburg, the University of Bonn, the University of Regensburg, the University of Saarland, and the University of Stuttgart. In 2021, the Free Association of Student Unions (fzs) called in an open letter for the nationwide free provision of menstrual products at all educational institutions; the Berlin State Conference of Student Representatives joined this call in early 2022 with a statement signed by 20 student representative bodies. However, long-term availability requires institutional action and reliable funding, as voluntary student engagement is time-limited.
Long-term availability requires reliable funding, as voluntary student engagement is time-limited. The service is currently financed from the institute’s funds for the advancement of women. For questions or feedback, please contact the institute’s representative for women and equal opportunities.