The announcement follows a successful pilot program launched around the middle of last year, which provided free products to approximately 3,200 young people in 15 schools.
“Offering free periods at school is one way the government can address poverty directly, help increase school attendance and have a positive impact on children’s well-being,” Ardern said in a statement.
“We want to see improved engagement, learning and behavior, fewer young people attending school due to their age, and reducing the financial problems among families of participating students.”
Ardern spoke to reporters later that day and said research had shown that one in 12 young people miss school because of this issue. She said the program would cost NZ $ 25 million ($ 17.96 million) by 2024.
Women’s Minister Jan Tinetti said the issues with periods at school include embarrassment, stigma, missing classes, being “caught out” without products, costs, lack of knowledge and discomfort.
“Students wanted information about periods, products and other practical elements of managing their period, such as locating and knowing when and to whom to ask for help,” she said.
The government will work with suppliers to manage a gradual implementation of the scheme, she said.
The youngest female prime minister when she came to power in 2017, Ardern is seen as a global icon and a campaigner for women’s rights. She swept the polls in October and secured a second term, thanks to her government’s success in curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
Her pregnancy and maternity leave while in office in 2018 was seen as a symbol of progress for women leaders. She made headlines around the world when she took her three-month-old daughter with her when she attended the UN General Assembly in New York.