08.03.2026
Volt in the Römer demands the perpetuation of the pilot project initiated in 2021
“Periods take no account of school schedules or life situations,” explains the spokesperson for women’s policy of the Volt faction, Britta Wollkopf. “Especially young people who get their period for the first time or irregularly more frequently find themselves in the situation of urgently needing hygiene products. That this results in shame or restrictions must not happen in our schools.”
With NR 124/21, the City Council (Stadtverordnetenversammlung) commissioned the Magistrate to implement a pilot for the introduction of free menstrual products at schools and facilities of open child and youth work, with the goal of being able to guarantee this permanently throughout the entire city area. This pilot was implemented at six schools in the 2022/2023 school year. The final report (B 427/25) yielded consistently positive findings and feedback. For example, the affected group was involved via the City Student Council (Stadtschülerinnenrat*), there was pedagogical support, the quantitative demand was lower than expected—and thus also the costs—and there was no vandalism; fears and prejudices were therefore not confirmed. Both students and organizers gave consistently positive feedback. “As expected, young people who menstruate experience the opportunity to be able to provide themselves with products if needed not only as a relief; it also contributes to a de-tabooing and to education,” Britta Wollkopf continued.
The project should therefore be expanded, which was the goal from the very beginning. Also, some time ago, about two years ago, it was already announced in the Education Committee that the project was fundamentally a success and an expansion was being planned. “Unfortunately, things did not progress further. Everyone was enthusiastic, but nothing happened. We have repeatedly asked the department (Dezernat) when the expansion could be expected, including with our written inquiry from July 2024. We had expected that work on the expansion of the project would already be underway. Instead, we learned that, contrary to the last announcement, no corresponding budget funds were requested for the year 2025. This is surprising, as the request for sufficient budget funds was already pointed out in the 2021 motion.”
Upon a renewed written question from the Volt faction in March 2026, it was surprisingly communicated that again no funds were allocated, despite the contrary intention of the report, which was adopted in the same month.
“Students have been waiting five years for this; year after year they and we as applicants are put off. Twice it was already promised that funds would be allocated, twice this has not happened. We expect the Education Department to urgently find a solution within the framework of the department budget; with such comparatively small amounts, this should have happened much sooner. The time we have lost in recent years must now be made up; it is about fighting period poverty,” Britta Wollkopf concluded.
