The University of Potsdam is the first university in Brandenburg to provide period products free of charge for its university staff and guests. In doing so, it wants to make necessary hygiene products accessible to all and contribute to the removal of taboos surrounding menstruation. In addition, it is a disadvantage compensation for those who are socially disadvantaged due to their physical characteristics.

In a two-year pilot project, suitable dispensers with the most common period products in Germany - tampons and pads - will be placed in 20 selected toilets on the three campuses Am Neuen Palais, Golm and Griebnitzsee. These are regularly filled by the respective cleaning staff responsible.

The costs for filling and cleaning are borne in equal parts by the university administration and the student parliament in the first year. The Coordination Office for Equal Opportunities is responsible for purchasing the dispensers. After one year, the results of an accompanying survey will be evaluated and used to further develop the project.

The impetus for making period products available free of charge at the University of Potsdam was provided by the Maths-Physics Student Council. A working group consisting of students, the Equal Opportunities Coordination Office and the university administration was formed to organise the project.

Menstruation is still a big taboo subject - yet it affects about half of the world's population. A large proportion of the members of the University of Potsdam also menstruate. For them, the use of period products during menstruation is just as ubiquitous as the use of toilet paper or soap. Nevertheless, menstruating persons have to pay for their own supplies.

For menstruating people, buying these products every month is an additional cost and not all can afford them. Those are affected by the much-discussed "period poverty". This is a particular problem for students on low incomes. As a result, those affected may resort to unhygienic alternatives such as toilet paper or cloth scraps, or even stay away from university.

Not all menstruating people have a regular cycle. If menstruation occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, shameful situations such as bloody pants or asking for a tampon can arise. It is not uncommon for menstruating individuals to go home or to a nearby shop to get the hygiene product they need.

Access to free period products enables participation and leads to a work- and study-friendly atmosphere where students and employees can concentrate on their studies or work with a sense of security.

With PeriodUP, we want to make menstruation visible and contribute to its social normalisation. We hope that this will initiate a discussion at the University of Potsdam about menstruation and what it means for the majority of university members in their study and work environment.

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