"Free Sanitary Pads When Needed"…Gyeonggi Province Provides Information on 225 Public Sanitary Pad Facilities

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province is providing online information on 225 locations under the 'Public Sanitary Pads for Citizens' program, where anyone can receive free sanitary pads from public facilities in case of sudden need.

The Gyeonggi Province Women's Vision Center announced on the 15th that it has disclosed information on 225 public facilities where public sanitary pad dispensers are installed on the Gyeonggi Province website (www.gg.go.kr/contents/contents.do?ciIdx=1358&menuId;=3162).

This project is a follow-up measure to the 'Ordinance on Provision and Support of Women's Sanitary Hygiene Products in Gyeonggi Province Public Facilities,' which was enacted in July of last year following the so-called 'insole sanitary pad' incident.

Since July of last year following the enactment of the ordinance, public facilities have been installing public sanitary pad dispensers and providing free sanitary pads using their own office management budgets.

Currently, a total of 225 locations have been installed: 71 locations across 42 institutions including the provincial government offices, subordinate public agencies, direct agencies, branch offices, and business offices; and 154 locations including libraries, culture and welfare facilities located in 14 cities and counties within the province such as Goyang and Seongnam.

Including locations where provincial-related facilities are situated, public sanitary pad dispensers are actually installed and operating in 28 cities and counties within the province, excluding Gunpo, Uiwang, and Gwacheon.

To use the service, anyone in need of sanitary pads can visit public sanitary pad dispensers at the relevant public facilities, such as Ansan Sangroksu Sports Complex or Paju Jukseong Library, and receive sanitary pads.

Public sanitary pad dispensers are mainly installed in women's restrooms of each facility and are divided into three types.

There is the 'vending machine type' where sanitary pads come out by simply turning a lever, the 'coin type' where pads come out by inserting a dedicated coin provided in front of the device into the machine, and the 'staff request type' where pads are delivered by contacting the staff without a separate device.

Detailed addresses by facility, public sanitary pad dispenser types, and staff contact information can be found on the Gyeonggi Province website.

The province plans to encourage participation from the remaining 17 cities and counties that have not participated in this project, so that the public sanitary pad program can be implemented across the province by the second half of next year.

Kim Hae-ryeon, director of the Gyeonggi Province Women's Vision Center, said, "We have pursued this policy for the basic rights of citizens," and "We will address any shortcomings and implement policies so citizens can use them more conveniently."