Image for From boxes for newborns to ending period poverty: five forward-thinking actions by Scotland

From boxes for newborns to ending period poverty: five forward-thinking actions by Scotland

A carbon-neutral pledge and a bid to make policing more attractive to Muslim women feature among Scotland's recent actions. We look at five as part of our United Kingdom of Solutions focus

A carbon-neutral pledge and a bid to make policing more attractive to Muslim women feature among Scotland's recent actions. We look at five as part of our United Kingdom of Solutions focus

Ending period poverty

In July 2017, Scotland became the first country to give out free sanitary products to low-income women. The six-month pilot scheme proved so successful that it was rolled out nationwide, and Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon began her campaign to give all Scottish students access to free period products. In August 2018, it became a reality: Scotland agreed to offer free sanitary products to all students in schools, colleges and universities. The £5.2m investment is set to supply some 395,000 students.

Boxes for newborns

Since 2017, all parents in Scotland have been eligible for a free baby sleeping box, filled with essentials for newborns. By March 2019, uptake was at 96 per cent and 80,000 boxes had been delivered. Redesigned earlier this year, the box aims to encourage an environmentally friendly mindset, with parents-to-be receiving vouchers for a reusable cloth nappy and liners. The box – which doubles as a cot – also contains items such as clothes, a bath towel, travel changing mat, bib, books and a digital thermometer.

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Diversity in policing

The hijab became an optional part of the Police Scotland uniform in 2016 as the force pondered how to encourage more Muslim women to join. Until this point, female Muslim officers could only wear the hijab if they sought approval from a senior member of staff. Chiefs said they hoped the decision to include the covering as part of the official kit would “encourage women from Muslim communities, who may previously not have seen policing as a career option, to reconsider”.

Image: Katsiaryna Endruszkiewicz

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