<p>Scotland is to become the first country in the world to give all women and girls free access to period products, effectively eliminating "period poverty".</p>.<p>Women and girls may lack access to equipment as basic as toilets depending on where they live, work or study.</p>.<p>In some parts of the world taboos surrounding periods even make menstruating women unwelcome in public places.</p>.<p>This means that menstruation can lead to women and girls not being able to go to school or work altogether.</p>.<p>Nearly a quarter of girls in India, the world's most populous nation, drop out of education when they begin menstruating.</p>.<p>For others, period poverty simply means lacking the money for tampons, pads or menstrual cups, or medication for cramps.</p>.<p>On any given day 800 million women are having their period.</p>.<p>The average woman will spend a cumulative 10 years of her life menstruating, starting at an average age of 13 until around 53.</p>.<p>One estimate puts cumulative lifetime costs for period-related products at nearly $14,680 (12,336 euros) per woman.</p>.<p>In addition to the cost of these necessities, pain can lead to a loss of income through missed days at work.</p>.<p>Not very much so far.</p>.<p>Before Scotland made history with free period products, Zambia led the way, allowing women from 2015 to have one day off per month for menstruation.</p>.<p>In 2016 France reduced sales tax on period products from 20 percent to 5.5 percent.</p>.<p>A handful of US states moved to scrap sales tax on tampons in 2016, an effort that is ongoing across the country.</p>.<p>Activism around the cost of periods has largely made it to the mainstream through social media.</p>.<p>From menstruation emojis to period-tracking apps to viral images of US musician Kiran Gandhi's bloodied thighs as she crossed the finishing line of London marathon without a tampon, the Internet challenged taboos as never before.</p>.<p>Even mainstream advertisers are getting in on the act. UK sanitary brand Bodyform switched from euphemistic blue liquid in its adverts to realistic-looking fake blood to show the absorbancy of its products.</p>.<p>The arrival of more women in power has also helped. It is no coincidence that Scotland -- the first country to act decisively on the problem -- is led by a woman, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.</p>
<p>Scotland is to become the first country in the world to give all women and girls free access to period products, effectively eliminating "period poverty".</p>.<p>Women and girls may lack access to equipment as basic as toilets depending on where they live, work or study.</p>.<p>In some parts of the world taboos surrounding periods even make menstruating women unwelcome in public places.</p>.<p>This means that menstruation can lead to women and girls not being able to go to school or work altogether.</p>.<p>Nearly a quarter of girls in India, the world's most populous nation, drop out of education when they begin menstruating.</p>.<p>For others, period poverty simply means lacking the money for tampons, pads or menstrual cups, or medication for cramps.</p>.<p>On any given day 800 million women are having their period.</p>.<p>The average woman will spend a cumulative 10 years of her life menstruating, starting at an average age of 13 until around 53.</p>.<p>One estimate puts cumulative lifetime costs for period-related products at nearly $14,680 (12,336 euros) per woman.</p>.<p>In addition to the cost of these necessities, pain can lead to a loss of income through missed days at work.</p>.<p>Not very much so far.</p>.<p>Before Scotland made history with free period products, Zambia led the way, allowing women from 2015 to have one day off per month for menstruation.</p>.<p>In 2016 France reduced sales tax on period products from 20 percent to 5.5 percent.</p>.<p>A handful of US states moved to scrap sales tax on tampons in 2016, an effort that is ongoing across the country.</p>.<p>Activism around the cost of periods has largely made it to the mainstream through social media.</p>.<p>From menstruation emojis to period-tracking apps to viral images of US musician Kiran Gandhi's bloodied thighs as she crossed the finishing line of London marathon without a tampon, the Internet challenged taboos as never before.</p>.<p>Even mainstream advertisers are getting in on the act. UK sanitary brand Bodyform switched from euphemistic blue liquid in its adverts to realistic-looking fake blood to show the absorbancy of its products.</p>.<p>The arrival of more women in power has also helped. It is no coincidence that Scotland -- the first country to act decisively on the problem -- is led by a woman, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.</p>