I’m ashamed to admit that period poverty isn’t something I’d been very aware of prior to becoming a councillor in 2017. It was an issue that was raised by my then fellow Plaid Cymru councillor on Rhondda Cynon Taf council, Elyn Stephens, when she asked us as a group to support a notice of motion that she wanted to submit, urging the council to look into providing free sanitary products in all secondary schools in the county borough, as an acknowledgment that they are as essential as toilet paper for the personal hygiene of female pupils. She spoke openly and bravely about her own experience of not being able to afford products, and what this had meant in terms of her own dignity. She also shared how this also impacted on her, and others she knew, not being able to attend school when they were menstruating, therefore also missing out on education just because of a normal bodily function.

I was a member of the working group set up to look into this issue, and as part of this work, we asked for evidence via a survey from teachers and also from female pupils about the situation as they saw it then. Seven hundred and eighty-four female learners took part in the survey, and focus groups were also held between pupils and the working group to better understand directly what the issues were. They were very, very clear with us that period poverty was an issue, with one attendee stating, 'People miss school because of periods or leave school early if they have an accident or need sanitary products and don’t have them on them—it affects attendance.' This was a view supported by 64 per cent of headteachers, with this rising to 86 per cent of responses from reception staff and 75 per cent for school nurses. So, an acknowledgement that period poverty was having a direct impact on attendance.

Common issues were not knowing where to access free products even if they were available, or being made to feel too embarrassed to ask rather than being able to access them themselves. We also uncovered evidence that there was a huge amount of misinformation and misunderstanding amongst male teachers and young men about periods, with some thinking that you could choose when you bleed, a bit like choosing when you go to the toilet. This meant that girls were being denied permission to go the toilet, resulting in accidents even when they had products to hand, or not being able to access them because they were not allowed to take their bags to the toilet with them.

I’m glad to say that this did lead to a policy change in RCT, and was a contributing factor, I believe, alongside other similar campaigns at the time, that led to Welsh Government committing resources to address the issue too. We have come a long way since then, but though there has been progress, there is more to do, and it’s important that we keep talking about and normalising periods so that progress isn’t lost. And there are many people doing just that.

Many Senedd Members will be aware, I’m sure, of Molly Fenton, who founded the Love Your Period campaign, and is doing so much to break taboos and raise awareness about this issue. I’d like to thank her for her important work, and how she continues to highlight the challenges in ensuring that free products reach those who need them. A recent survey she sent out to students and parents across Cardiff revealed that 97 per cent of pupils hadn’t received essential period products from their schools to help them make it through the summer holidays, meaning that there is still work to be done to make access easier. The products are now available for free, but they're not reaching those who need them.

I’d also like to publicly send my solidarity to Molly, after seeing the comments that were left on a video that she made about her campaign last year for Welsh Government. The attacks were hugely personal and cruel, and Molly was brave enough to reshare and highlight some of them just recently—they were horrific, and I wouldn’t even want to give them air time in this Chamber by repeating them. But all this was just about speaking about period dignity, just about talking about a normal bodily function. And she referenced, in a recent tweet, the song, ‘The Man’ by Taylor Swift, and she simply asked,

'If I was male, people wouldn’t be focusing on how pretty my outfit was, or how it complimented my figure. And that what I’m doing is amazing, instead of being put down for being pushy and out of line. It’s absurd and needs to stop'.

I couldn’t agree more with you, Molly, and I would hope that all Members of the Senedd would join me in condemning those who have criticised her and the campaign, and vow today to support the normalisation of talking about periods.

Period poverty isn’t only something that impacts young people, and I think we also need to acknowledge today the possibility that the cost-of-living crisis will lead to more people who menstruate not being able to access the products they need. Anecdotally, this is something that was shared as a concern in a recent cost-of-living event that I organised in my region, where foodbanks and others reported an increase in demand for period products, as well as other hygiene products. Recent reports also show an increase in the cost of period products, with the mysupermarketcompare website recently showing that a box of 18 Tampax Pearl Compak Super Plus tampons were on sale at one supermarket for £1.95 a few weeks ago, but that now, only a 16-pack is available for £2.60; that’s 65p more for two fewer tampons, or 50 per cent more per tampon.

It's also an issue that impacts refugee women, as highlighted by the Women for Refugee Women charity, which supports women who are seeking asylum in the UK. They found that 75 per cent of women they interviewed struggled to obtain period pads or tampons, forcing them to overuse a period product, improvise period wear, or beg for money to buy a pad. But, as I said earlier, this debate isn’t about trying to persuade the Welsh Government that period poverty is an issue; we are all well aware of this, and I would hope that we are all committed to putting in place actions to help eradicate this issue. Rather, the focus is on the need for them to take that extra step by enshrining this work in law via a period products Bill, as has happened in Scotland.

This was a campaign that was led by the Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament, Monica Lennon, and came into force on 15 August of this year. The aim of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 is to tackle period poverty, promote period dignity and break the stigma surrounding periods in Scotland. As a result of the Bill, Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products available for free to all, by making it now a legal duty for local authorities, education providers and specified public service bodies to provide products easily available, as well as being free of charge.

Earlier this year, I visited Scotland as part of my work representing the Senedd on the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, and I was immediately struck by the fact that period products were just as accessible wherever I went as toilet paper was—so, in all public toilets I used, including at the airport. Contrast this to our own Senedd and toilets used by us and staff where there are products available, but in a machine on a wall, meaning that even if you can afford to access them, it isn’t always possible if you don’t have coins. Can you imagine a situation where we would be okay with putting toilet paper in a machine, and asking people to pay for each sheet? There would rightly be outrage. Yet, that’s what happens day in, day out, when it comes to period products in Wales, even in this very building. And that’s what introducing a Bill and legislation has changed in Scotland.