Installation of 311 Free Sanitary Pad Dispensers in 117 Institutions Including Schools Nationwide Since 2019, the First in the Country
Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jung Soon-gyun) has been the first local government to install and operate 311 public sanitary pad vending machines free of charge in 117 institutions since 2019, distributing 800,000 sanitary pads.
Since the 'Insole Sanitary Pad' initiative in 2016, voices have grown advocating support not only for low-income groups but for all female adolescents. Gangnam-gu's public sanitary pad project is regarded as a model case of universal welfare that guarantees the health rights and hygiene of female adolescents, rather than selective welfare limited to low-income groups.
Over three years, sanitary pad vending machines have been installed in most schools, public institutions, and welfare centers within Gangnam-gu to support women and adolescents in confidently and healthily accessing sanitary pads free of charge.
Additionally, since 2020, as part of gender equality projects, Gangnam-gu has been conducting menarche education for elementary and middle school students and providing menarche education kits to help adolescents understand bodily changes and grow healthily.
According to monitoring conducted by the Gangnam-gu Women's Capacity Development Center, there have been no cases of sanitary pad misuse. Schools have human rights clubs or volunteer students autonomously managing the vending machines, and each institution produces its own notices and promotional posters to raise awareness of the project’s purpose, striving to ensure the public sanitary pad support project is stably implemented.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
