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Members of two States' committees have agreed to consider making period products universally and freely available to students in their schools and colleges.
Deputy Andy Cameron, a member of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said he would like to see better support provided to female students and undertook to raise the issue quickly with his colleagues on the Committee.
"I will ensure that this is discussed at Thursday's Committee meeting," said Deputy Cameron, pictured above (top right).
"I am a man but I am empathetic of the difficulties women face with their menstrual cycle. I would be in favour of providing free sanitary products at our secondary schools."
Deputy Cameron acknowledged that if such a policy is introduced it would need to be extended to some older year groups in primary schools as well.
Pictured: The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture will be asked to reconsider the States' policy at its meeting on Thursday.
Deputies Tina Bury and Lindsay de Sausmarez, members of the Committee for Employment & Social Security, said that in principle - and speaking personally rather than on behalf of their Committee - they were in favour of changing the policy but first needed to understand more about the costs and other practical considerations.
The President of the Committee for Employment & Social Security, Deputy Peter Roffey, pictured above, has agreed that his members "will discuss this issue at a Committee meeting in the coming weeks".
The politicians' comments followed a report published by Express yesterday in which it was revealed that students in the Bailiwick would soon be unusual across the British Isles in not having free, universal access to period products in their schools throughout their years there.
However, schools do hold a supply of disposable products that can be provided free to students who at any time are unprepared for the arrival of their period.
Pictured: Express reported on Tuesday that students' access to period products in schools in Guernsey is increasingly out of line with other jurisdictions across the British Isles.
Jersey last week became the latest jurisdiction to announce such a scheme. The Minister for Social Security told the island's States that "free period products will be available in all schools in Jersey from September 2022".
At that time, Express was told that the States of Guernsey had no plans for schools and colleges to make period products universally available to students free of charge.
The Northern Ireland Assembly recently approved a private member's bill which will create a legal right of free access to items such as tampons and sanitary pads in all schools, colleges and public buildings.
Scotland last year became the first place in the British Isles to introduce a law which includes a requirement on schools and colleges to make period products universally available to students free of charge. In England, the Government is operating a scheme during this school year which "provides free period products to learners who need them in their place of study".
In Guernsey, charitable donations have allowed a limited number of period products to be provided to some students.
Pictured: Deputy Tina Bury played a role in an initiative run by SHARE and funded by the charity Bright Tights which provides a limited but important scheme in some year groups.
Deputy Bury, who is also the Vice-President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, yesterday told Express: "I was very happy to help facilitate conversations last year between third sector groups and SHARE [Sexual Health and Relationship Education] regarding a donation to support an initiative.
"Of course, full provision is something I’d be wholeheartedly supportive of in principle. However, as with all things in government, I’d need to understand the full details and cost before being able to commit.
"If the States can find a way to make it a reality we absolutely should, as no child should have their learning impacted due to lack of access to sanitary products."
Pictured: Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez is looking forward to considering the issue soon at a meeting of the Committee for Employment & Social Security. Speaking personally, she said that she would like to see Guernsey adopt a universal scheme.
Deputy de Sausmarez said that she would also like the States to find a way of changing their policy and in future providing students with free, universal access to period products in their schools throughout their years there.
"On a personal level, of course I’m keen that all girls have access to the period products they need, and providing that access through schools and other education settings strikes me as one of the most practical and fair ways to make that a reality," said Deputy de Sausmarez.
"I’m particularly supportive of the approach Bright Tights takes where the primary emphasis is on sustainable period products, with single-use products available as a back-up."
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