P-06-1177 Provide Free Period Products for all Menstruating People in Wales

P-06-1177 Provide Free Period Products for all Menstruating People in Wales

Completed

 

This petition was submitted Lili Smith, having collected a total of 481 signatures.

 

Text of Petition:                     

The £3.1 million provided to schools in Wales to purchase sanitary products is not enough to keep all young women out of period poverty and stay in education. Having experienced period embarrassment first-hand, I know how it feels to sit through a lesson, bleeding through my sanitary product because I was too embarrassed to ask a friend, or teacher, if I could borrow a panty liner. We need to end the stigma around periods, and give all women free sanitary products.

 

Additional Information:

1 in 10 girls aged 14-21 in the UK can't afford sanitary products. 49% of girls have missed a day of school because of this. Young girls are risking their physical health by making improvised sanitary products from tissue, socks and plastic bags.

 

This isn’t just an issue for young teenagers. 56% of 18-24 year olds have had to go a day without period essentials, or cut down on them due to lack of funds.

 

Many women are embarrassed by their periods, and are even embarrassed about buying necessary sanitary products for them. This shame is incredibly harmful as it prevents necessary conversations about periods, which ultimately leads to a lack of knowledge of the implications that come with menstruating. For example, the lack of effective menstrual cramp pain relief, which is shown to reduce classroom performance.

 

 

 

 

Status

This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 13/09/2021.

 

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to note the forthcoming Welsh Government consultation on the Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan and encourage the petitioner to engage with this as a great way to take this campaign further. In doing so the Committee agreed to thank the petitioner for raising such an important issue, adding that they fully support the petition and closed the petition.

 

Full details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.

It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 13/09/2021.

 

Senedd Constituency and Region

  • Bridgend
  • South Wales West

 

Further information

 

 

Business type: Petition

Reason considered: Senedd Business;

Status: For consideration

First published: 06/09/2021