Özyeğin University Law Clinics’ Application Finalized: All women and girls in penal institutions will now have free access to sanitary pads

The Özyeğin University Law Clinics applied to the Ombudsman Institution within the scope of its Ombudsman Clinic’s activities. Remarking that women and girls in penal institutions experience menstrual poverty, and not having access to free and adequate sanitary pads in closed penal institutions is a violation of the right to health, the Özyeğin University Law Clinics requested that the Ministry of Justice makes the necessary arrangements to ensure free access to sanitary pads. 

Under the mentorship of Attorney Selmin Cansu Demir, Özyeğin University Law Clinics Coordinator, and Ferhat Yıldırım, an instructor at the Faculty of Law, 16 students from Özyeğin University, who volunteer at the Ombudsman Clinic, completed their preparations by receiving clinical training on the “Ombudsman Institution”, “Life in Prison” and “How to prepare an effective application petition” prior to the application. To that end, Arın Türk, Büşranur Karatekin, Ebrar Şehit, Eylül Tarım, Feyzanur Karci, Helin Nur Kartal, İlkim İnanır, Meltem Erden, Muhammed Ömer Yılmaz, Rabia Aktürk, Selensu Armağan, Simge Lara Otlu, Tuğçe Uğur, Umay Sezen Acar, Zeynep Onat and Zuhal Melike Karataş took part in the volunteering project. 

The Ombudsman Institution forwarded the application to the Ministry of Justice in an effort to reach a friendly solution. The Ministry took the application into consideration, and issued a general letter to all penal institutions and Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, stating that feminine hygiene products should be provided free of charge, without any delay or discrimination. Hygienic diapers for babies and children were also included in the Ministry’s decision. Thus, the application made it possible to care for children with hygienic products as well. 

With this decision, all women, girls, babies, and children will now have free access to hygienic products, and their right to health will be protected. Özyeğin University Law Clinics will follow up on the decision, and continue to serve people who have difficulty in accessing justice with unwavering commitment.