New program to provide menstrual hygiene products to New Brunswick schools
Students in New Brunswick will now have access to free menstrual hygiene products at school.
The New Brunswick government announced Monday that it has committed more than $115,000 to a program called Never Be Caught Off Guard, which ensures hygiene products are available in female and gender-neutral washrooms and locker rooms in schools with Grade 6 to 12 students.
“All students deserve to be able to focus on their learning, instead of worrying about how they will be able to access the essentials,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy.
“By providing menstrual hygiene products, schools are fostering learning environments that are inclusive, promote equity and respect human rights. Hopefully, this project can help reduce the impact on academics and help reduce stigma and social or emotional challenges.”
During the 2018-2019 school year, the government says a pilot project was introduced in the Anglophone School District West that provided free menstrual hygiene products to two high schools. The goal of the project was to explore whether making menstrual hygiene products accessible in school washrooms would have positive social-emotional and learning benefits for students.
“Availability of supplies in all washrooms takes the worry away from accidents and unexpected situations. It has also taken an economic stressor away from students and has leveled the playing field of accessibility and cleanliness,” said Stephanie Underhill Tomilson, principal of Fredericton High School. “The more we break down the stigma of menstruation, the easier it will become to address the inequalities of poverty and hygiene surrounding these products.”
The government says students surveyed as part of the project reported experiencing a decrease in embarrassment, anxiety and stress because they knew that pads and tampons were accessible at school and they would not need to ask for them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.