Tennis ACT is proud to announce the rollout of free period products at tennis clubs across the ACT and region, supporting women and girls to stay active, confident and on court, while reducing period poverty as a barrier to participation.
Dispensers containing free pads and tampons, along with sanitary disposal units, were installed across 23 tennis clubs during April and May, with ongoing servicing of sanitary units provided through Tennis ACT.
The initiative reflects Tennis ACT’s commitment to removing barriers to participation and aligns with Tennis Australia’s Women and Girls Strategy (2022–2027), which aims to improve access and opportunities for women and girls in tennis.
Importantly, the initiative was inspired by young leaders in the local Canberra tennis community.
In 2025, Megan Hara and Mehar Jhajj participated in Tennis Australia’s Learn to Lead program - a 10-week development youth program designed to equip young women aged 14 to 18 years with the skills and confidence to lead inclusive change in their local tennis communities. As part of the program, Megan and Mehar identified a lack of sanitary bins and period products at their clubhouse and developed an Action Learning Project to address it.
Their initiative focused on ensuring women and girls have access to essential menstrual hygiene products in a clean and supportive environment, particularly during training, matches and events.
They also highlighted the broader impact, noting that without access to appropriate facilities, some players may feel uncomfortable or avoid sport altogether.
Megan Hara said creating a supportive environment for girls at clubs is essential to participation.
“Being one of the few female coaches at my club, I understand how important it is for young girls to feel comfortable and supported when they come to tennis,” Megan said.
“Access to free period products helps create a more inclusive environment and shows that girls and women are valued and there are fewer barriers to participation within our sport.”
Mehar Jhajj said access to period products is fundamental to participation in sport.
“Access to menstrual hygiene products is a basic necessity, not a luxury, and encouraging women to participate in sport is equally about creating opportunities and removing barriers,” Mehar said.
“By addressing this issue, Tennis ACT is removing a key barrier to participation while demonstrating respect for the health and well-being needs of women in tennis.”
With the support of their club president, the idea was implemented at their local club and has now been scaled by Tennis ACT to benefit communities across the region.
Research from a collaboration between Victoria University and Share the Dignity shows periods remain a significant barrier to sport:
• 75% of high school students have skipped playing sport because of their period
• 65% of people feel embarrassed or ashamed to talk about their period with staff at their club
• 81% believe access to free period products at sports facilities is very or extremely important
Mark La Brooy, CEO of Tennis ACT, said the initiative is about listening to the community and removing barriers to participation.
“This initiative is particularly powerful because it has been driven by young women in our tennis community who saw an issue and took action. We’re proud to support and scale their idea to benefit clubs across the ACT,” Mark said.
“Supporting the program was without question - No one should miss training, competition or social tennis because they don’t have access to period products”.
The rollout builds on the ACT Government’s leadership as the first jurisdiction in Australia to guarantee access to free period products, with significant investment already supporting public libraries, hospitals, community health centres and schools. While sporting facilities have not yet been included in the government program, Tennis ACT is proud to lead this next step in community sport.
Several clubs have already introduced free period products through their own initiatives, demonstrating strong community leadership and a shared commitment to inclusive participation.
This program is a simple, practical step that has grown from a youth-led idea into a territory-wide initiative, helping ensure tennis clubs are welcoming and inclusive spaces for all.