Equal participation in school life
Bremen offers free menstrual products to all students. The Senator for Children and Education provides all secondary schools with a hygiene budget, which can be used, among other things, to purchase menstrual products. "In Bremen, access to tampons and sanitary pads is just as commonplace as access to soap and toilet paper," explains Senator for Children and Education, Sascha Karolin Aulepp. "We want everyone who needs menstrual products to be able to participate in school life on an equal footing without worry."
Pilot project made permanent
In 2023, a pilot project was launched with eight schools participating voluntarily. The initial aim was to assess the schools' need for menstrual hygiene products and to determine the most effective way to make them accessible to students. The pilot project was subsequently made permanent, and now all participating schools can distribute menstrual products free of charge. School administrators decide independently whether to participate and how to distribute the products. Distribution takes place through the school office, designated staff members, or via vending machines in girls' restrooms.
Financial settlement via hygiene budget
Schools can order sanitary napkins, tampons, feminine hygiene bags, and diaper pails, as well as vending machines or dispensers. The costs are covered by the Senator for Children and Education. Payment is processed through the respective school budget, specifically the hygiene budget. No statistics are kept, and no analysis is possible, as the schools pay for these items from their hygiene budget, which also covers other expenses such as soap and towels.
Source: Press Office of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, The Senator for Children and Education, Press Release , March 25, 2025