你可能想像不到，在英國這樣的發達國家，還有人買不起衛生巾。但事實上，「月經貧困」在世界範圍內普遍存在。日前蘇格蘭通過了一項史無前例的法案，免費向所有人供應月經用品，讓女性從此告別「月經貧困」。
Scotland has become the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products, including tampons and pads, in public facilities, a landmark victory for the global movement against period poverty.
蘇格蘭成為世界首個在公共設施免費向所有人供應衛生棉條和衛生護墊等經期衛生用品的地區，這是全球對抗月經貧困運動的一次裡程碑式的勝利。
The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of the Period Products bill on Tuesday, months after lawmakers had initially signaled their support.
本周二（11月24日），蘇格蘭議會一致投票通過了月經用品法案。幾個月前，蘇格蘭立法者已初步批准了這一法案。
It means period products will be available to access in public buildings including schools and universities across Scotland. According to the new rules, it will be up to local authorities and education providers to ensure the products are available free of charge.
這意味著蘇格蘭各地包括中小學和大學在內的公共場所將會免費提供月經用品。根據新法規，地方政府部門和教育機構將確保免費供應月經用品。
"The campaign has been backed by a wide coalition, including trades unions, women's organisations and charities," Monica Lennon, the lawmaker who introduced the bill last year, said ahead of the vote. "Scotland will not be the last country to make period poverty history."
去年提出這一法案的議員莫妮卡·列儂在投票前表示：「該運動受到了各聯盟的廣泛支持，包括工會、婦女組織和慈善團體。蘇格蘭不會是最後一個讓月經貧困成為歷史的地區。」
After the vote, Lennon said the decision was "a signal to the world that free universal access to period products can be achieved."
在投票結束後，列儂表示，這一決定「向世界釋放出一個信號，那就是全面免費供應月經用品是可以實現的」。
The bill's accompanying financial memorandum estimates it could cost around £8.7 million a year by 2022, depending on the number of women who will take advantage of the free products.
該法案附帶的財務備忘錄估計，到2022年，該免費項目每年將耗資約870萬英鎊（約合人民幣7649萬元），具體數目取決於領用免費月經用品的女性數量。
The new law was praised by a number of equality and women's rights groups as well as politicians from across the parties represented in the Scottish Parliament.
新法規受到了許多平權和女權團體以及蘇格蘭議會中各黨派政界人士的讚揚。
"Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them. An important policy for women and girls," Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on her official Twitter page after the vote.
蘇格蘭首席部長尼古拉·斯特金投票結束後在她的官方推特頁面上寫道：「能為這一開創性法案投票，我感到很驕傲。該法案讓蘇格蘭成為世界上第一個向所有需要的人免費提供月經用品的地區。這對於女性而言是一項重要的政策。」
One in 10 girls in the United Kingdom have been unable to afford period products, according to a 2017 survey from Plan International UK. The survey also found that nearly half of all girls aged 14 to 21 are embarrassed by their periods, while about half had missed an entire day of school because of them.
根據英國國際計劃2017年的一項調查，英國有十分之一的女孩買不起月經用品。調查還發現，年齡在14歲到21歲之間的女孩中有近半數因為月經而感到尷尬，約半數女孩因為來月經而請假一整天不去上學。
Scotland's move follows a string of recent attempts to tackle period poverty in the country.
在法案通過前，近年來蘇格蘭曾作出一系列努力來解決月經貧困問題。
In 2018, the government announced that students in schools, colleges and universities across the countries would be able to access sanitary products for free, through a £5.2 million investment. In 2019, it allocated another £4 million to make period products available for free in libraries and recreational centers.
2018年，蘇格蘭政府宣布，將通過一項520萬英鎊的投資向全國大中小學的學生免費供應衛生用品。2019年，蘇格蘭政府又撥款400萬英鎊讓圖書館和娛樂中心免費提供月經用品。
England last year also launched an initiative to provide free sanitary products in schools, and New Zealand did the same earlier this year.
去年英格蘭還發起一項運動，在學校免費提供衛生用品，今年早些時候紐西蘭也如法炮製。