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Manurewa MP Louisa Wall is welcoming an investigation by government drug buying agency into whether it should fund tampons.
Since being told by school principals in her electorate that the price of hygeineproducts was a serious issue that affected educational achievement, she has worked with the charity Kids Can to make soap, tampons, sanitary pads and other products available to pupils.
Countdown and the Salvation Army also have a special donation facility to buy a women's hygiene bundle that goes into food bank parcels.
She says there is a huge opportunity cost for young women who can't afford products.
"Some of them stay at home (during their periods) and if they are missing education, that's an issue. Some of them are unable to participate in sports and other pursuits because they just don't have reliable products to make sure they are not going to have accidents in public, and then what are they using as alternatives? We know about the rags and those types of things but there has also been the use of toilet paper and other types of paper which obviously are not the most hygienic," Ms Wall says.
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