KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 – More than 141,000 girls in all Welsh primary and secondary schools will be provided free sanitary products as part of ongoing campaign to end ‘period poverty’ in the United Kingdom.
With a grant of £2.3m from the Welsh government, the move aims to tackle conditions where young women and girls find it too expensive to buy sanitary items, resulting in them missing school days.
The Period Dignity Grant for Schools will provide a range of sanitary products.
The initiative follows from a similar move in neighbouring England which focused on secondary schools. The Welsh version also includes primary schools.
“It’s unthinkable that young women could be forced to miss days of their education simply because they can’t access or afford period products.”
“We’re committed to tackling this inequality in Wales and this funding will help make period products available to learners in all schools, free of charge and in the most dignified way possible,” said education minister Kirsty Williams.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford pledged:“We are committed to supporting period dignity and maintaining our investment in schools to help bring period poverty to an end.
“It is essential ample sanitary products, as well as good facilities, are available to all female learners so they can manage their periods with confidence and remove what is an unnecessary barrier to their education.”
