Period poverty: £3.3m for free sanitary products in Wales

Every school and college in Wales will have access to £3.1m in new funding to prevent "period poverty" in 2020.

The Welsh Government said it would make the cash available to ensure there are free sanitary products for any learner who needs them.

It is the second year money has been allocated to address the issue.

A further £220,000 will be available to councils to put the products in libraries and community hubs for women unable to afford them.

Plaid Cymru councillor Elyn Stephens, who has campaigned on period poverty, welcomed the money but said she wanted rules implemented over how councils spend it, to avoid a "postcode lottery" in accessing sanitary products.

The funding follows a series of campaigns by local authorities and youth campaigners in Wales to highlight the issue for young women struggling to pay for sanitary goods.

"It's just ensuring a girl's period isn't a barrier to her succeeding in life," said members of a youth council who have been working on a period poverty campaign in Carmarthenshire.

Amber and Rebecca, from the Carmarthenshire Youth Council, said the problem was highlighted during discussions at a UK Youth Council meeting.

"It shocked all of us really, when we learnt young girls within the county were missing out on education and that one-in-10 girls aged 14 to 21 in the UK couldn't afford sanitary products, so as a youth council we decided to set up a period poverty campaign.

"In every school we've being delivering boxes which have free packs of tampons and sanitary towels which young girls can then access at any time in the school day."

They also joined forces with the high street cosmetics chain The Body Shop, in Carmarthen, to ensure women and girls have access to free period products every day, not just when they are in school.

Rebecca added: "It's really sad that there's stigma and young girls may feel embarrassed to go ask for help, so by us putting this into place in the schools, youth groups and in the Body Shop, young girls can go access the products and don't have to have the stigma anymore."

Rhondda Cynon Taff councillor Elyn Stephens, who has first-hand experience of period poverty, said she was "over the moon" about the cash injection but did not want it spent by councils "as they will".

"It could become a postcode lottery on how you're able to access sanitary products," she said.

Access was important, Ms Stephens said, as it could affect girls' education.

"When we send out questionnaires to our pupils, we find that it has a high impact on their attainment while in school," she said.

Ms Stephens also said she believed it was important the use of the money was reviewed: "We need to do research into what's working and what's not."

The new funding is part of the draft budget proposals by the Welsh Government, and follows £2.3m already made available to Welsh schools in 2019.

The Welsh Government Deputy Minister and Chief Whip Jane Hutt said: "We've made considerable progress in tackling period poverty in 2019 and the £3.3m for 2020-21 will mean we can continue to ensure period dignity for every women and girl in Wales by providing appropriate products and facilities.

"It's heartening to see young people taking on this issue and working within their schools and communities to combat the stigma and taboos which unfortunately still exist today."