The closure of schools and community settings during the peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges in ensuring period products reached those in need and, according to research by Plan International, over 1 million girls in the UK struggled to afford or access period products during the pandemic. In Wales, we worked with local authorities to ensure that, even in lockdown, individuals had the products they needed. Welsh local authorities found innovative and creative ways of serving their communities, including sending products directly to people's homes, setting up subscription services and offering vouchers, and I'd like to acknowledge the positive response by all our local authority partners during this extraordinarily difficult time.

There, of course, is more work to do to ensure period products are reaching everyone who needs them, and we're committed to identifying and responding to our communities' needs. Just this morning, we brought local authorities together to share best practice and to consider how we ensure products are reaching under-served communities. But the provision of products is just the beginning of the work. Tackling period poverty is a priority for the Welsh Government, but, if we truly want to break the shame and stigma associated with menstruation, then we must broaden our ambitions and work to achieve period dignity for all.

So, what do we mean by period dignity? It means prioritising the eradication of period poverty and addressing the range of issues that affect a person's experience of periods across their lifetime. Period dignity considers the link between periods and broader health issues, which is particularly important as we mark the beginning of national Endometriosis Awareness Month. Period dignity also considers the environmental impact of many single-use plastic products, the impact of managing menstruation in the workplace, in education, and on engaging in sport and culture.

To achieve this definition of period dignity, we need to take cross-Government action, and that's why we will publish our period dignity strategic action plan later this year, and the plan considers period dignity for those with intersecting protected characteristics and seeks to make provision for additional challenges or cultural requirements. Period dignity and period poverty are children's rights matters, but the plan also takes a life-course approach to achieving period dignity by considering support for those who are going through the perimenopause and menopause too.

We've set out a number of ambitious actions to help achieve our vision, including a campaign to start a national conversation about periods to bust myths and tackle stigma; a commitment for 90 per cent to 100 per cent of all products bought under the period dignity grant to be plastic-free, made with reduced plastic or reusable by 2026; ensuring educational and practical period dignity resources are available to businesses across Wales to expand period dignity in the private sector; promotion of workplace policies on period dignity and the menopause; funding education and training programmes to promote the use of reusable products; and developing an interactive period-product map to help individuals find free products in their areas. Finally, education, of course, is also crucial in achieving our aim for period dignity. I'm delighted the relationships and sexuality education code and statutory guidance includes the teaching of menstrual well-being at developmentally appropriate phases. It will provide learners with the knowledge and confidence to seek support and to deal with the physical and emotional changes that occur throughout their lives.

I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Children in Wales, Women Connect First, Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales and our period dignity round-table members for their ongoing advocacy and their support as we turn our shared vision into reality. And I'm confident, by working in partnership, we will achieve our vision to live in a Wales where no-one is ashamed or embarrassed about periods and can speak openly and confidently about them, whether or not they have periods. Diolch.