Scotland has become the first country in the world to legally enshrine the right to free period products, in a vital step toward ending “period poverty.” The Period Products Act, which came into force today after Scotland’s parliament unanimously approved the law in 2020, compels local governments and educational institutions to provide products to anyone who needs them. Activists tell TIME that by enabling women, girls and people who menstruate to manage their periods healthily and effectively, the law both protects a fundamental human right and removes societal stigma. Globally, around 500 million people who menstruate live in period poverty—the inability to access menstrual products because of financial constraints.