The Scottish parliament approved plans on Tuesday to make sanitary products freely available to all women, the first nation in the world to do so.

The legislation would make tampons and sanitary pads available at designated public places such as community centres, youth clubs and pharmacies, at an estimated annual cost of 24.1 million pounds ($31.2 million).

The Period Products (Free Provision) Scotland Bill passed through its first stage with 112 votes in favour, none against and one abstention. It now moves to the second stage, where members of the devolved Scottish parliament can propose amendments.

During the debate, the bill's proposer Monica Lennon said passing it would be a "milestone moment for normalising menstruation in Scotland and sending out that real signal to people in this country about how seriously parliament takes gender equality."

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