PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry will begin an initiative to tackle the issue of period poverty by providing free sanitary pads for underpriviliged women.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the initiative, which was well received globally, will begin in her office and would be expanded throughout her ministry.
"As the first female health minister, it's good that we start it at MoH first.
"We will start giving out the free sanitary pads at the toilets of the minister's office," she said in her inaugural monthly assembly at the ministry here today.
Also present at the monthly assembly were Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and secretary-general Datuk Harjeet Singh.
Globalcitizen.org describes period poverty as a lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, handwashing facilities or the related waste management.
It also says that the issue is compounded by cultural shame attached to menstruation and the shortage of resources which stop women from going to school and working every day