Carleton University Students’ Association’s new reproductive and sexual health campaign aims to “go beyond” and install more menstrual product dispensers in other buildings across campus, according to CUSA president Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden.
CUSA launched its Flowing Rights campaign on Feb. 12, detailing the addition of menstrual product dispensers in high-traffic bathrooms across campus.
Nideyinàn, Nicol Building, Pigiarvik, MacOdrum Library, Southam Hall, Tory Building, Richcraft Hall, and Azrieli Theatre now have dispensers in women’s, men’s, and unisex bathrooms.
Sexual and reproductive health resources are posted on flyers next to the dispensers, along with a QR code for quick online access. The flyers share a brief definition of sexual and reproductive rights, alongside information on menstrual rights, accessibility and freedom of choice.
“The use of the menstrual dispensers will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure the community needs are met and determine if any enhancements are needed,” Grace Haime, Carleton’s director of student affairs and student life, wrote in an email.
Riazudden said the Flowing Rights campaign has been in the works for almost a year and isn’t over yet.
CUSA became a pro-reproductive rights organization in July 2022. Riazudden said CUSA worked on this initiative with Planned Parenthood Ottawa and the Office of Equity and Inclusive Communities.
“It was a back-and-forth effort,” said Artur Estrela Da Silva, CUSA’s vice-president for research and advocacy. “There was lots of communication and research on behalf of CUSA and the university to have this initiative.”
“We have achieved what we initially set out to achieve, which was to expand the access to resources for students who need these resources and infographic material,” he said.
Estrela Da Silva added equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives are one of 12 priorities on CUSA’s advocacy roadmap, aimed at addressing issues like the lack of student housing, tuition and food insecurity.
“Obviously, we want to go bigger. We want this campaign to connect students to Ottawa and to the community,” Riazudden said.
CUSA hopes to maintain the initiative and expand menstrual and sexual rights across campus.
“Surely, we are going to revisit this idea for next year […] this will be a priority for CUSA in years to come,” said Estrela Da Silva, who was elected as CUSA’s next vice-president (student issues) at the annual member’s meeting on March 10.
CUSA also hopes to provide temporary solutions in campus bathrooms without these dispensers.
“We have a lot of engineering students who have been involved in [the campaign] and have advocated for more resources in Mackenzie Building,” Riazudden said.
“We are thinking of ways to put up baskets in bathrooms without these dispensers in the meantime.”
CUSA has not announced when more bathrooms will receive dispensers.
Featured image by Cassandra Bellefeuille.
