Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:33 pm on 1 March 2022.
Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone. I do remember well—I think probably we co-signed and debated it together—putting the motion forward a few years back on period poverty and period dignity, and that started the conversation in this Chamber. It is very important that we look at the environmental impact issues in terms of the use of reusable or eco-friendly products. We did discuss that as well with the young people this morning, because they're also very concerned about it. They've got eco committees, they're very concerned about climate change and environmental impacts as well, but it's not going to necessarily be within the period products that have been provided that they have those prospects of choice beyond pads and tampons. We did discuss the fact that, again, reusable products like Mooncups, cloth pads, period pants and reusable tampon applicators could—. They wanted to discuss it, but this has to be a whole-school thing. This is also a whole-school awareness. I'm sure Jeremy will also recognise himself, and others too, that when you go to schools and new schools, I'm always saying, 'Where is the toilet with the washbasin actually in the room?' It can't just be the disabled toilet.
We've got to think this in every aspect of our sustainable learning, because it is about sustainable learning and a whole-system approach. We know, in fact, that this whole teaching of menstrual well-being through the relationship and sexuality education has to take on board the fact that, also, there can be pain and misery as well, which, so often—. These young people today, of the ages of year 7 to year 8 or 9, were still experiencing some of the things that us older generation women experienced, and that should not be the case. But they were so pleased that they were actually coming in to talk to a Minister about it, and felt that we were taking it seriously. I know that the points that have been made today will be very important to them. I'm going to share the statement, and I'm sure they'd like to also have the transcript of this statement as well.