The announcement follows a successful pilot program launched in the middle of last year, which offered free products for the period of approximately 3,200 young people from 15 schools.
“Providing free school products at school is a way for the government to directly address poverty, help increase school attendance and have a positive impact on children’s well-being,” Ardern said in a statement.
“We want to see improved engagement, learning and behavior, fewer young people missing school because of their time and reducing financial difficulties among families of participating students.”
Speaking to reporters later, Ardern said research had shown that one in 12 young people was absent from school because of the problem. She said the program will cost NZ $ 25 million ($ 17.96 million) by 2024.
The Minister of Women, Jan Tinetti, said that problems related to school periods include embarrassment, stigma, lack of classes, being “caught” without products, costs, lack of knowledge and discomfort.
“Students wanted information about periods, period products and other practical elements of managing their period, such as tracking and knowing when and to whom to turn for assistance,” she said.
The government will work with suppliers to manage the gradual implementation of the scheme, she said.
The youngest woman prime minister when she came to power in 2017, Ardern is seen as a global icon and a champion for women’s rights. She swept the polls in October, securing a second term based on her government’s success in limiting the spread of the coronavirus.
Pregnancy and maternity leave during office in 2018 were appreciated as symbolizing progress for women leaders. She appeared all over the world when she took her with her three-month-old daughter while attending the UN General Assembly in New York.