In February 2021, New Zealand announced that every state and state-integrated school and kura (Māori-language school) could offer students free period products from June that year. Schools had to opt in, and the government would supply pads, tampons and liners so that no student had to miss class or improvise with toilet paper because her family could not afford them. The scheme, later named Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata, is still running, and the Ministry of Education estimates that around 98% of menstruating students in eligible schools can now get products.
Here is what was announced, why it mattered, how it works and how it compares with other countries.
What New Zealand announced in 2021
The announcement came on 18 February 2021 from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti. Primary, intermediate and secondary schools were invited to sign up by March, with the first deliveries arriving towards the end of Term 2. Schools that missed the first round could join later, and the Ministry of Education worked with suppliers on a phased rollout.
News outlets around the world picked up the story, including NPR in the United States:
All schools in New Zealand will offer free sanitary products to students starting in June, officials said. The initiative, which aims to combat period poverty, expands on a pilot program launched last year. https://t.co/jPQnnLE0db
— NPR (@NPR) February 19, 2021
The decision expanded a smaller trial rather than starting from scratch, which helped the government plan supply, storage and how students would collect products.
Why period poverty keeps students out of class
"Period poverty" describes not having reliable access to menstrual products, along with the toilets, washing facilities and information needed to manage a period with dignity. For a family on a tight budget, a monthly packet of pads competes with food, power and transport. When money runs out, some students stay home rather than risk leaking at school.
Before the announcement, New Zealand principals and charities had reported girls using toilet paper, socks or rags in place of proper products, which is uncomfortable and can be unhygienic. UNESCO has estimated that around one in ten menstruating young people worldwide miss school because they lack the means to manage their periods. In New Zealand, University of Otago research cited by the Children and Young People's Commission suggested that up to 95,000 young people could be missing school for this reason.
Missing a few days each month adds up. Over a school year it can mean several weeks of lost lessons, falling behind in exams and feeling ashamed to explain why.
The Waikato pilot that came first
The national scheme grew out of the Access to Period Products pilot, which began in Term 3 of 2020 in 15 schools and kura in the Waikato region. About 3,200 young people received free products during the trial. Fairfield College in Hamilton was one of the participating schools.
Feedback from that pilot shaped the national design. Students said they wanted a choice of product types and sizes, and discreet ways to collect them, so they were not forced to ask a teacher every time. They also asked for clear, practical information about periods, such as tracking a cycle and knowing who to talk to if something seemed wrong.
What ministers said
Ardern framed the move as a question of fairness in education. In the government's release she said, "Young people should not miss out on their education because of something that is a normal part of life for half the population."
She linked the policy to the government's Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy and to its aim of tackling poverty directly: more students in class, better engagement and less financial pressure on families. Tinetti stressed that the pilot's lessons on choice and information would guide the rollout, and placed the scheme alongside other measures meant to cut the cost of school for families and whānau, such as free healthy school lunches, the removal of NCEA exam fees and an alternative to school donations.
How the Ikura programme works today
According to the Ministry of Education, state, state-integrated and charter schools and kura at primary, intermediate and secondary level can take part. Private schools are not included, although they are free to provide products themselves. The range covers pads, tampons and liners in different sizes; reusable products such as menstrual cups and period underwear are not currently supplied.
Schools decide how students collect products, and many place them in bathrooms or quiet areas so no one has to ask. The programme's future was uncertain for a while after the 2023 change of government, but in March 2024 the government confirmed it would keep funding it, a decision welcomed by the Children and Young People's Commission.
How New Zealand compares with other countries
New Zealand was not the first country to act, but it was among the early ones. Scotland went further: its Parliament passed the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act in November 2020, introduced by Labour MSP Monica Lennon. The law received royal assent in January 2021 and came fully into force on 15 August 2022, making free tampons and pads available through public bodies, including schools, colleges and universities. Even before the Act, the Scottish Government had announced free products in schools in 2017.
Several other governments and local authorities have since introduced their own school schemes. New Zealand's approach sits in the middle: it is targeted at schools rather than the whole population, but it is national and free for students.
Common misconceptions
- "It's only about money." Cost is central, but the pilot showed that privacy, choice and good information matter just as much in getting students to use products.
- "Every school must take part." Taking part is voluntary; eligible schools opt in, and nearly all students in those schools now have access.
- "It's a problem only in poor countries." The New Zealand and Scottish figures show that period poverty also exists in wealthy nations, often hidden by embarrassment.
For parents and students, the practical step is simple: ask your school whether it takes part in Ikura and where products are kept. If a period seems unusually painful, heavy or irregular, talk to a doctor or school nurse.
Sources: NZ Government release, 18 February 2021; NZ Ministry of Education: Period products in schools; Mana Mokopuna: continued funding welcomed (March 2024); Wikipedia: Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021; Wikipedia: Period poverty; Thinking Minds (h/t).
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