Ljubljana - The government is in favour of a gradual introduction of free period products for women in public institutions, and will look into the possibility of dedicated funding, the Government Communications Office (UKOM) told the STA after a recent call for this by student organisations.

The Slovenian Secondary-School Student Organization and the Slovenian Student Union urged the government and the National Institute of Public Health on Monday to supply free period products to public institutions, including educational facilities.

They suggested this could be funded either from the state budget or from the budgets of individual educational institutions, highlighting that "access to period products is a basic human need."

The idea enjoys support in the government, said UKOM on Friday, noting that this would help break down taboos and stigma around menstruation.

Several similar calls have been made in Slovenia in recent years, including by the Social Democrats' youth and women's forums in 2021. Since then the SocDems have become a coalition party.