During a TUC Women’s Conference in London, the topic of discussion focused on women’s menstrual products and the obstacles women in shipping face during menstrual days when onboard.
The discussions around menstrual products have been on the spotlight the past couple years, with many supporting the decrease of VAT on sanitary products.
Nautilus delegates to the Conference gathered support for a motion calling for sanitary products to be available for free in the UK. The motion has been proposed by the Prospect union and calls for the existing campaign to bring down the VAT on sanitary products to be extended to campaigning for the free provision of menstrual products through the NHS.
Speaking for women seafarers, Strategic organiser Rachel Lynch commented that some female Nautilus members pack their menstrual products in their own luggage to last the duration of their trip, in efforts to ensure they have enough with them when onboard.
Yet, Lynch added that disposing the products is another unsolved issue, as ship’s toilets are “special”. This means that they block at the slightest provocation. Therefore, women seafarers have to put them in bins which then get disposed of in port and often at a cost.
If we are to encourage more women to go to sea, simple issues such as the cost, storage and disposal of sanitary items must be resolved
… Lynch highlighted.
