CODE RED HAS YOU COVERED
Bringing Period Dignity To Munster Technological University, One Bathroom At A Time
Munster Technological University (MTU) will launch Code Red this October, a period dignity project providing free sanitary products to all MTU students and staff: tackling period poverty and period taboo through events, talks, and workshops, addressing issues surrounding periods. Code Red believes that no woman, intersex, trans, or non-binary person, who menstruates should have to miss educational activities, work, or recreation due to lack of access to appropriate products. MTU has funded the provision of free sanitary products at almost 60 locations across MTU campuses. It is estimated that Irish women spend an average of €132 every year on tampons and sanitary towels. Fifty percent of young Irish women have experienced issues around affording sanitary products. According to anytimeofthemonth.com period poverty impacts the lives of 1 in 2 teenagers in Ireland. “Nobody knows another person’s circumstances or whether they can afford the products. If toilet paper is free, then sanitary products should be as well” says Ellen O’Shea, MTU Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team. MTU’s Code Red working group, made up of students and staff, was first mooted by Dermot Barry, MTU Technical Officer, “my union, Unite, started running a Period Dignity campaign in the UK, and subsequently reached out to reps in Ireland. Being a husband and a father I thought that this was a very worthwhile initiative and so I decided to set up a working group. We were lucky that the working group grew and now includes many dedicated and inspirational members.” In April 2021, Lidl became the first major retailer to offer free period products and they have teamed up with Homeless Period Ireland and The Simon Communities of Ireland. Currently in Ireland the ‘Period Products (Free Provision) Bill 2021, sponsored by TDs and Senators Rebecca Moynihan, Mark Wall, Marie Sherlock, Annie Hoey and Ivana Bacik, is before Seanad Éireann. As the country waits for this bill to be passed, MTU is acting. Period poverty is a women’s health
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and gender equality issue: lack of access to suitable period products and the associated exclusion from daily living while menstruating can have a detrimental effect on physical health, mental health and wellbeing. The Plan International Survey found 61% of young women felt too embarrassed to talk about their periods. Often knowing where to go, or who to ask, for sanitary products can be embarrassing, surely this natural function shouldn’t be an event that causes avoidable stress in someone’s day. “Code Red is needed to break any stigma associated with periods and break socio-economic barriers for both staff and students,” says Monica Moisuc, MTU Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
The Code Red launch week, 12th - 14th October, is tackling period taboo through a series of educational online sessions and on campus events In anticipation of Code Red launch Professor Maggie Cusack, MTU President, says “providing free sanitary products is another step towards equality across MTU. We know that period poverty is real and therefore at MTU we are addressing it. Code Red will make a difference to the lives of our students and staff on the most basic, human dignity, level and will allow students to focus on what really matters while attending third level education – working towards their degree. We are looking forward to Code Red dispensers becoming the norm in MTU.” In the run up to the launch Code Red has installed free product dispensers in many bathrooms across the MTU campuses, with many more dispensers to be installed following the pilot this academic year. Each bathroom dispenser is stocked with sustainable single-use sanitary pads and tampons, developed by Irish company We Are
Riley. There are also a limited number of re-usable products available upon request from MTU Students Union Offices. Robyn Penkert, MTU student, and member of the Code Red working group said: “We hope this movement inspires other colleges and public environments to introduce their own free period product scheme.” The Code Red launch week, 12th14th October, is tackling period taboo through a series of educational online sessions and on campus events, all in accordance with current government health guidelines. Events include an educational workshop on ‘Reuseable Menstrual Products,’ a ‘Make Your Own Upcycled Reusable Menstrual Products’ workshop, a ‘Periods and Contraception’ workshop run by the Sexual Health Clinic Cork, a seminar on ‘How to Use Sanitary Products’ presented by We Live Our Values and a ‘Sport and Periods’ talk. All launch events are free but as spaces are limited at certain events, booking is advised. Tickets can be booked through www.cit.ie/edi/period-dignity“Everyone has a role to play in the normalisation of period dignity. If you feel you can’t see the point of a project like this, you are unaware of your own privilege. It is important to ally a project that doesn’t directly impact you. Providing a basic service like this for students can have a huge impact” says Julie Anne Young, MTU International Officer. In May 2021, the working group organized a student competition for the project instilling a real sense of ownership of this project within the MTU community. The winning name and brand, Code Red, was designed by Eimear Devane, a Final Year Marketing student. Professor Margaret Linehan, from the Code Red working group says “not every woman can afford to buy essential feminine hygiene products when they need them. On health grounds, this is a serious issue, but we should also be viewing it as a dignity issue. Providing sanitary supplies is not a luxury, but a necessity and MTU are happy to lead by example by investing in period justice.”
