28 May 2026, Chișinău — During the 2026–2027 academic year, more than 31,000 girls from 204 educational institutions across the Republic of Moldova will have free access to menstrual products purchased through the state budget. The measure is part of broader efforts to ensure a safe, healthy, and inclusive school environment for adolescent girls.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Education and Research on the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day, marked annually on 28 May. The initiative is implemented within the framework of the “EduLIFE School” Programme, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Youth Media Center, and the media platform Suntparinte.md.

“Providing schools with menstrual hygiene products contributes to upholding girls’ rights to uninterrupted education, reproductive health, and non-discrimination. At the same time, the initiative supports the creation of a school environment based on mutual respect, the reduction of stereotypes, and the promotion of gender equality, contributing to the healthy and harmonious development of adolescents,” said Ludmila Sîrbu, Interim Deputy Representative and Youth Programme Analyst at UNFPA Moldova.

The “EduLIFE School” Programme was launched in the Republic of Moldova in 2023 in four pilot schools, where dispensers with menstrual hygiene products were installed in school bathrooms. In addition, classrooms dedicated to life-skills-related subjects, as well as school medical and psychological counselling offices, were modernized.

The pilot programme demonstrated a significant impact on girls’ school participation, contributing to more than a fourfold reduction in menstruation-related absenteeism — from 55.2% to 12.5%.

Following the pilot phase, the initiative was expanded to 164 educational institutions, which received dispensers and menstrual products provided by UNFPA. During the 2025–2026 academic year, educational institutions purchased menstrual hygiene products for the first time using state budget resources. At the same time, an additional 41 schools joined the “EduLIFE School” Programme after receiving menstrual products from the Ministry of Education and Research through a donation made by content creator Lilu, as well as dispensers provided by UNFPA.

Schools included in the Programme were selected based on several criteria, including being part of the Model Schools Network, involvement in the socio-educational inclusion of refugee students, participation in health education programmes, or membership in the Health Promoting Schools Network.

“The Ministry of Education and Research is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and child-friendly environment in schools for every child. Free access to menstrual hygiene products is not only a measure that supports adolescent girls’ health and well-being, but also an important step toward reducing school absenteeism and combating stereotypes. We want every girl to feel respected, supported, and safe at school, and the ‘EduLIFE School’ Programme directly contributes to achieving this goal,” said Marcelina Baleca, Head of the General Education Policies Directorate within the Ministry of Education and Research.

Svetlana Dintiu, Director of the “Ion Creangă” Theoretical High School in Căușeni, one of the institutions included in the “EduLIFE School” Programme, says the initiative has significantly improved the school environment:

“We observe more confidence, less shame, and a more open attitude toward a natural process. It is a small gesture with a major impact because it provides safety, respect, and equality. Within the Programme, we introduced for the first time an annual menstrual education plan, including workshops for girls, sessions with parents, and joint activities for girls and boys, promoting a culture of respect and health. The results confirmed that menstrual health is an essential part of school life, although it often remains overlooked.”

For many adolescent girls, simply knowing that there is a safe place at school where they can access menstrual products when needed has brought a real change in how they feel.

Daniela Gluh, an 11th-grade student, shared: “It is very important for girls to have free access to menstrual products because menstruation is a natural process, not something to be ashamed of. For me, knowing that I can access pads when needed means safety and peace of mind. I felt respected and understood.”

For Ana Grosu, a student in Grade 10 “A”, the initiative has also improved comfort and changed attitudes among classmates: “Through this initiative, we feel that the school cares about us and that girls’ rights are respected just as much as boys’. Now I can continue classes without stress or fear. I have also noticed that boys have changed their attitudes — they no longer make jokes, but support us instead.”

Free access to menstrual hygiene products in schools contributes not only to reducing absenteeism, but also to breaking the stigma surrounding menstruation and reducing bullying associated with the topic. Results from the pilot programme also show that the installation of menstrual product dispensers increased girls’ sense of safety at school: nearly 56% of surveyed girls said they now feel safe at school, while 38.2% reported that boys no longer joke about menstruation and have become more respectful.

Observed annually on 28 May, Menstrual Hygiene Day highlights the fact that access to menstrual products and adequate hygiene conditions is closely linked to health, dignity, and the protection of fundamental rights. Through initiatives such as the “EduLIFE School” Programme, the Republic of Moldova contributes to combating stigma and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for girls.