3 questions for Audrey Mallegol, manager of the social center of the Office of Student Life
- How was this menstrual panty distribution project born?
This project was studied and implemented in consultation with the Student Health Service (SSE). Precariousness and difficulties in accessing basic goods and services constitute factors of vulnerability, in particular, for women. Deprivation of basic products such as menstrual protection can, in fact, have significant hygienic and health consequences, but also impacts in terms of self-esteem and socio-professional integration. In order to lift the taboo surrounding periods and menstrual hygiene and to promote access for all to essential products, the University wanted to take part in this approach from a DDRS angle. This action is part of the fight against menstrual poverty and difficulties in accessing basic necessities and services and is linked to the proposed law which was made to the National Assembly so that university establishments free hygienic protection available to students (proposal of law no. 4833 relating to the fight against menstrual poverty, December 21, 2021).
- What does this consist of? Who can benefit from it? How ?
Via the opening of a public market, we have chosen to work with the company Ecodis offering quality products, without chemical substances, ecological and French-made. The distributions are supervised by the BVE with the help of health relay students (ERS) who are recruited for the occasion. A temporary student reference to reinforce the BVE staff is, this year, necessary for the management of stocks, transport and various trips. Distributions are scheduled for the months of January, February and March 2025 in all UFRs and IFSIs attached to the University.
Anyone enrolled in initial training who has paid the CVEC can benefit from menstrual panties. To do this, they must register, via a questionnaire, by choosing a distribution site, a preferential date and their panty size. The day they come to the stand, they will just have to present their Léocard or their school certificate for the current year in order to be issued their pants (2 per person depending on stock).
- The project will be renewed in 2025. Can we find out more?
The project began in the 2021/2022 academic year (with the first distributions made in March 2022) and we are continuing with new dates in 2025 for the 2024/2025 academic year. Our wish is to be able to perpetuate this type of project, in the interest of students in precarious situations and to break down the taboos that still exist on this subject.
