It's time for Saskatchewan to follow the lead of British Columbia in ensuring all schools provide menstrual products to female students, according to a Regina-based non-profit organization.

"So many disadvantaged girls and women miss school and work during their period because of period poverty," said Sandi Beug, president of Your Time Women's Empowerment Foundation.

"We don't want to see girls missing school. We want them to stay in school, complete their education, become valuable members of our society."

The foundation has sent a letter to Minister of Education Gord Wyant, asking him to mandate free menstrual products in school washrooms. With May 28 being Menstrual Hygiene Day, Beug is hoping others will follow suit and send similar requests.

According to the ministry of education, the Saskatchewan government had not considered putting free menstrual products in school bathrooms prior to British Columbia introducing the policy. Since then, the ministry said it has received several requests to consider doing the same.

In an email a ministry spokesperson said, "While internal discussions are preliminary at this point, we can share that the ministry will work with school divisions to consider how a consistent process regarding access to free menstrual hygiene products for students could be supported."

The same spokesman said that schools can already chose to provide such products to their students, but that decision rests with the division's board of education.

British Columbia became the first province in Canada to mandate all schools must provide these supplies, with an announcement made this past April. The federal government has also floated a proposal to give workers in federally regulated workplaces access to free menstrual products.

"We are asking our government to provide the same but also give students the option of using a menstrual cup simply because of the convenience and the environmental friendliness and sustainability," she said.

Menstrual cups can be reused and can last up to 10 years. Your Time Women's Empowerment Foundation has distributed 1,000 menstrual cups in developing countries, including Malawi, Tanzania, India and Colombia.

After a board member also pointed out the high prices of menstrual supplies within Canada and in northern communities, the foundation partnered up with Street Culture in a pilot project. It distributed 100 cups to young women involved in the program.

Beug noted Your Time is a small foundation that does not yet have the resources to help everyone.

"This is something we feel that our government should be doing for school-aged girls," she said, describing menstrual hygiene as "a human right."