Seongdong-gu Provides Menstrual Products to All Female Adolescents Aged 11-18 (6,800 Individuals)

Starting this month, 6,800 female adolescents aged 11 to 18 in the region will receive universal support for menstrual products... Voucher cards worth 12,000 KRW per month provided by four convenience store companies in Seoul can be used conveniently like regular cards

From this month, female adolescents in Seongdong-gu can purchase menstrual products using voucher cards.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) has started providing vouchers for purchasing menstrual products to all female adolescents in the district from this month.

Any resident of Seongdong-gu aged 11 to 18 (based on birth years 2004 to 2011) can apply to receive a monthly voucher worth 12,000 KRW. The voucher can be conveniently used like a regular card to purchase menstrual products at four convenience store chains in Seoul that have agreements with Seongdong-gu (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Ministop).

Seongdong-gu is the first autonomous district in Seoul to expand menstrual product voucher support to all female adolescents.

Amid growing social concern and attention due to stories of female adolescents who could not afford sanitary pads and resorted to using crumpled newspapers, tissues, or even "insole pads," the district previously enacted the "Seoul Special City Seongdong-gu Female Adolescent Menstrual Product Support Ordinance" (July 15, 2021) to actively address the blind spots faced by those struggling to purchase feminine products.

According to the ordinance, which defines the types of support items for female adolescents as well as purposes such as health promotion and welfare improvement, the district is conducting a "Universal Support Pilot Project for Female Adolescent Menstrual Products" through the first half of this year. Based on application rates and satisfaction evaluations, the district plans to continue systematic and active support in the second half of the year.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, "We will spare no support for the youth who will lead the future to ensure that basic health rights of adolescents, such as the use of insole pads, are not threatened."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.