In another progressive step forward, Taiwan’s largest metro rail in the capital city of Taipei is set to begin a trial for offering women free sanitary products. This comes after several neighbouring Asian countries have implemented similar measures in a bid to tackle “period poverty”, said a report by AFP.
The trial was recently given the green light after the proposal of several city councillors that Taiwan should follow the example of their neighbouring countries including Japan and South Korea and make sanitary products more accessible, said the report.
Seoul’s programme offers free sanitary pads in at least 300 institutions across the capital city, including museums, libraries and so on. unkindwhile, the Tokyo city government reportedly began distributing sanitary products, earlier this year, in some of the washrooms at its headquarters.
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“We will re-evaluate and adjust in accordance with the results of the trial and the feedback,” said the subway operator, Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, in a statement. The trial will reportedly begin on November 1 and will provide menstrual products to women upon their request at the 20 busiest stations along their metro line.
Taiwan has established itself as one of Asia’s most progressive democracies, said the report. In 2016, Taiwan also elected its first female president Tsai Ing-wen, who also won a second term in a landslide victory two years ago. Furthermore, in 2019, it became the first place in Asia to legalise gay marriage and it is still the only one that has taken this step.
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Taipei is also among another handful of others that allows a “menstrual leave”, as per Taiwan’s Act of Gender Equality in Employment women can take three days off per year which is not deductible from the statutory 30 days of regular sick leave. However, like regular sick leaves employees on menstrual leave only receive a 50% of their salary, said the report.
(With inputs from agencies)
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