The 'Everyone's Sanitary Pads' program, which provides free public sanitary pads, is set to be implemented nationwide next year, with a focus on gathering input from women in their 20s and 30s.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced that it will hold a communication meeting on the 30th at the Government Seoul Building to discuss the usage experiences and improvement suggestions for the 'Everyone's Sanitary Pads' program.
This meeting aims to gather feedback from actual users regarding awareness, accessibility, convenience of distribution, and management of sanitary pad supplies as the program prepares for its nationwide expansion next year.
Attendees will include the Director of Gender Equality Policy from the Ministry, project officials, members of the Youth Coexistence and Empathy Committee, and 13 women in their 20s and 30s recruited through social media.
'Everyone's Sanitary Pads' is a newly introduced public service that allows anyone in need of sanitary pads to conveniently access them at nearby public facilities.
Since July, the Ministry has provided sanitary pads and distribution machines at approximately 500 accessible public facilities, including community centers, libraries, and youth facilities in 12 pilot areas across the country, such as Gwangjin and Eunpyeong districts in Seoul, Gwangmyeong and Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, Seocheon County in South Chungcheong Province, Jung District in Daejeon, Jeongeup City in North Jeolla Province, Mokpo and Buk-gu in Gwangju, Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province, Geochang County in South Gyeongsang Province, and Jeju City.
The Ministry plans to comprehensively review the feedback from this meeting, usage data from the pilot areas, and operational conditions to expand the program to 229 regions nationwide next year.
In particular, the Ministry aims to continuously gather diverse feedback from the pilot program to ensure that users can access the service more conveniently while allowing operating agencies to manage it effectively.
Lee Kyung-sook, Director of Gender Equality Policy at the Ministry, stated, "As we prepare for the nationwide expansion of 'Everyone's Sanitary Pads' next year, it is important to hear directly from women in their 20s and 30s about their experiences and opinions to enhance the program. We will work to improve accessibility and convenience, reflecting the voices from the field to develop a public service that can be felt in daily life."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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