The City of Brno is taking concrete steps to promote equal access to education and improve the school environment for girls. A municipal pilot project will see menstrual supplies provided in the toilets at schools around the city, with the aim of increasing the comfort of female students, contributing to the destigmatisation of menstruation, and addressing menstrual poverty. 55 elementary schools have already signed up for the scheme.
The pilot project, which will start in the school year 2025/2026, will provide free menstrual pads at 55 primary schools in Brno, testing the scheme’s feasibility for coming years and other schools. Hygiene supplies will be available in girls’ toilets, and schools will ensure they are regularly refilled. The primary objective is to ensure that menstruation should not be associated with stress, unpleasant experiences, or be an obstacle in education.
The secondary objective of the project is to open space for communication on the topic, which is still taboo in Czech society. It will include seminars for educators that will offer practical tips and support in how to teach students sensitively and comprehensibly about menstruation and related topics, and create an environment in classrooms where girls and boys can learn about menstruation with respect and understanding, and without shame. There will also be lecturing events directly with pupils at several schools. Seminars for teachers and children will be led by external lecturers from the organizations Sola helps, z. s. and KONST, z. s.
Currently, the City of Brno is announcing a tender for suppliers of menstrual pads, which will be distributed to participating schools during the pilot year. The selection procedure will run until mid-May 2025. The estimated cost is up to CZK 1 million including VAT, where the decisive criterion is the price for one item. Details of the selection procedure are available here.
So far, 55 primary schools in Brno have expressed interest in participating in the project, which together cover 8,000 girls from the 5th to 9th grade. These schools will receive an initial supply of menstrual supplies adapted to the number of female pupils, and ensure their availability in the premises of girls’ toilets from year 5 above. Further replenishment of supplies is expected approximately twice during the school year.
“When we were preparing the project, we hoped that dozens of schools would be involved – but 55 schools participating in the pilot phase is beyond our expectations,” said Petr Bořecký, Brno City Councillor for Participation. “It clearly shows that the topic of menstruation is no longer taboo, even in the environment of primary education, and that school managers are interested in actively creating a safer and more welcoming environment for girls.”
