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Councillors and committees

Agenda item

Notice of Motion - Promoting Period Dignity

Minutes:

Councillor V Anderson moved the following motion:

“This council:            .

·         Acknowledges the motion of 22nd November 2018 regarding period dignity; where it was resolved that women and girls should be able to experience their periods with dignity.

·         Recognises the fantastic work done by Red Box Gateshead, Gateshead Youth Council and volunteers to promote period dignity within schools.

·         Welcomes steps by central government to provide sanitary products in all schools in England from spring 2020.

·         Remains deeply concerned with the issue of period poverty within Gateshead, specifically with low income families, resulting in knock-on effects including impacting health and education.

Council calls for:

·         Further study to be carried out into the costs to put an end to period poverty in the borough and the benefits resulting from this.

·         Continued work and support with volunteers and Gateshead Youth Council to build a success of new Project ToM to promote period dignity throughout the borough.

·         To take a lead as a local authority and provide sanitary products in all public civic buildings and places of work.

·         Encourage local businesses to promote similar actions to be taken”.

 

Councillor C Donovan moved the following amendment:

 

Delete:

 

“Council calls for:

·         Further study to be carried out into the costs to put an end to period poverty in the borough and the benefits resulting from this.

·         Continued work and support with volunteers and Gateshead Youth Council to build a success of new Project ToM to promote period dignity throughout the borough.

·         To take a lead as a local authority and provide sanitary products in all public civic buildings and places of work.

·         Encourage local businesses to promote similar actions to be taken”.

 

And insert:

 

“Council congratulates the Gateshead Youth Council for starting the new Project ToM, to promote period dignity throughout the borough.

 

Council waits with interest for the results of the existing feasibility study that it is currently conducting, which will assess the financial impact on Council should it resolve to provide sanitary products in its toilets in the future.

 

Council acknowledges the root causes of period poverty: stigma, austerity measures, a failing welfare system, and financial abuse, and calls upon the Government to urgently tackle and prioritise these issues, which affect women and girls disproportionately, so that women and girls are not denied opportunities and are afforded dignity.”

 

On the amendment being put it was declared to be carried.

 

The amendment was put as the substantive motion and duly carried.

 

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -          

“This council:            .

·         Acknowledges the motion of 22nd November 2018 regarding period dignity; where it was resolved that women and girls should be able to experience their periods with dignity.

·         Recognises the fantastic work done by Red Box Gateshead, Gateshead Youth Council and volunteers to promote period dignity within schools.

·         Welcomes steps by central government to provide sanitary products in all schools in England from spring 2020.

·         Remains deeply concerned with the issue of period poverty within Gateshead, specifically with low income families, resulting in knock-on effects including impacting health and education.

 

Council congratulates the Gateshead Youth Council for starting the new Project ToM, to promote period dignity throughout the borough.

 

Council waits with interest for the results of the existing feasibility study that it is currently conducting, which will assess the financial impact on Council should it resolve to provide sanitary products in its toilets in the future.

 

Council acknowledges the root causes of period poverty: stigma, austerity measures, a failing welfare system, and financial abuse, and calls upon the Government to urgently tackle and prioritise these issues, which affect women and girls disproportionately, so that women and girls are not denied opportunities and are afforded dignity.”

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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