Period products are not a luxury and access to them is even more important during a cost-of-living crisis’ – vows Minister for Social Justice

Period products should not be seen as a luxury item and available to more people struggling during the cost-of-living crisis, Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt has vowed.

Improving the availability and accessibility of menstrual products is a cornerstone of the Welsh Government’s newly published A Period Proud Wales plan.

The plan outlines how everyone should have access to period products, whenever they are needed. Those who are struggling to afford menstrual products are being urged to have the confidence to seek the support they need, with free period products available in more places than ever before.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said: “Period products are not a luxury item and should be available to everyone who needs them. This is more important than ever as many struggle during the cost-of-living crisis.

“We want to ensure that having a period does not lead to missed education, absences from employment or withdrawal from sport and social activities due to period poverty.”

More than £12m has been invested in improving access to free period products for children, young people and those on low incomes in Wales over the last five years.

Free period products are available in every school in Wales and across a range of community venues including (but not limited to) foodbanks, libraries, leisure centres, family centres, community hubs and youth services. Sport, cultural venues and employers are also being encouraged to provide free products for staff and visitors.

It is hoped this will eradicate period poverty and ensure those who are the most vulnerable have access to period products.

Dee Dickens struggled to afford menstrual products when she was growing up and felt ashamed of herself when she was on her period, constantly worried that people would notice.

“I would use toilet paper in the school toilet,” she said.

“Until I left home I spent every period worrying people could smell me and that was the shame in it. That’s one of the reasons why I’m talking about it now, as I don’t want anyone else to go through this.”

She added: “When I left home I was in charge of my own budget, but even then I would run out and still I wouldn’t go out and buy more as I had this inbred guilt and it was back to the toilet roll in the knickers. It’s taken years of therapy for me to realise that I deserve nice things and I shouldn’t really be thinking of sanitary products as nice things.”

Normalising having a period and removing any sense of shame or stigma around periods is a key priority of the plan.

The plan also aims to raise awareness and understanding of both menstrual cycles and the menopause, so people have the confidence to speak openly about them, so they don’t negatively impact on their lives.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said “A Period Proud Wales sets out our ambitions to ensure period dignity and eradicate period poverty for women, girls and people who have periods.

“In order to do this we need to improve access to period products, remove the stigma or taboo around talking about periods and improve understanding of the impact of periods on people’s lives.”

She added: “We know broader socio-economic and environmental factors will affect our ability to meet this vision, but we are striving to start a conversation and begin a cultural change that will benefit generations to come.”

‘Mae nwyddau mislif yn eitemau hanfodol a dylen nhw fod ar gael i ragor o bobl nag erioed mewn argyfwng costau byw’ – dyna adduned y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol

‘Mae nwyddau mislif yn eitemau hanfodol a dylen nhw fod ar gael i ragor o bobl nag erioed mewn argyfwng costau byw’ – dyna adduned y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol
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‘Mae nwyddau mislif yn eitemau hanfodol a dylen nhw fod ar gael i ragor o bobl sy’n ei chael hi’n anodd yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw’ – dyna adduned Jane Hutt, y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol.

Un o gonglfeini cynllun ‘Cymru sy’n falch o’r mislif’, sydd newydd ei gyhoeddi gan Lywodraeth Cymru, yw ei gwneud hi’n haws cael gafael ar nwyddau mislif.

Mae’r cynllun yn amlinellu sut y dylai pawb allu cael gafael ar nwyddau mislif, pryd bynnag y bo’u hangen. Mae’r rhai sy’n ei chael hi’n anodd fforddio nwyddau mislif yn cael eu hannog i ofyn am y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Daw hyn ar adeg pan fo nwyddau mislif am ddim ar gael mewn mwy o leoedd nag erioed o’r blaen.

Dywedodd Jane Hutt, y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol: “Mae nwyddau mislif yn eitemau hanfodol a dylen nhw fod ar gael i bawb sydd eu hangen. Mae hyn yn bwysicach nag erioed wrth i lawer ei chael hi’n anodd yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw.

“Ry’n ni eisiau sicrhau nad yw cael mislif yn arwain at golli addysg, absenoldeb o’r gwaith neu dynnu’n ôl o chwaraeon a gweithgareddau cymdeithasol oherwydd tlodi mislif.”

Mae dros £12m wedi’i fuddsoddi i wella mynediad at nwyddau mislif am ddim i blant, pobl ifanc a’r rhai sydd ar incwm isel yng Nghymru dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf.

Mae nwyddau mislif am ddim ar gael ym mhob ysgol yng Nghymru ac ar draws ystod o leoliadau cymunedol gan gynnwys y canlynol, ymysg eraill: banciau bwyd, llyfrgelloedd, canolfannau hamdden, canolfannau i deuluoedd, hybiau cymunedol a gwasanaethau ieuenctid. Mae lleoliadau chwaraeon, lleoliadau diwylliannol a chyflogwyr hefyd yn cael eu hannog i ddarparu nwyddau am ddim i staff ac ymwelwyr.

Y gobaith yw y bydd hyn yn dod â thlodi mislif i ben ac yn sicrhau bod y rhai sydd fwyaf agored i niwed yn gallu cael gafael ar nwyddau mislif.

Roedd Dee Dickens yn ei chael hi’n anodd fforddio nwyddau mislif pan oedd hi’n tyfu i fyny ac yn teimlo cywilydd ohoni ei hun pan oedd hi ar ei mislif, gan boeni drwy’r amser y byddai pobl yn sylwi.

“Byddwn yn defnyddio papur tŷ bach yn nhoiled yr ysgol,” meddai.

“Nes imi adael cartref, ro’n i’n treulio pob mislif yn poeni y gallai pobl fy arogli a dyna oedd yn gwneud imi deimlo cywilydd. Dyna un o’r rhesymau pam rwy’n siarad amdano fe nawr, gan nad ydw i eisiau i neb arall fynd drwy hyn.”

Ychwanegodd: “Pan wnes i adael cartref, ro’n i’n gyfrifol am fy arian fy hun, ond hyd yn oed wedyn byddwn yn rhedeg allan ac yn peidio â phrynu rhagor gan fod gen i’r euogrwydd yma, a byddwn yn dal i roi papur tŷ bach yn fy nicyrs. Mae wedi cymryd blynyddoedd o therapi imi sylweddoli fy mod i’n haeddu pethau neis ac na ddylwn i fod yn meddwl am nwyddau mislif fel pethau neis.”

Mae normaleiddio cael mislif a chael gwared ar unrhyw gywilydd neu stigma yn ei gylch yn un o brif flaenoriaethau’r cynllun.

Nod y cynllun hefyd yw gwella ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth o’r cylch mislif a’r menopos, fel bod gan bobl yr hyder i siarad yn agored amdanyn nhw, a hynny fel nad ydyn nhw’n cael effaith negyddol ar eu bywydau.

Dywedodd Jane Hutt, y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol: “Mae ‘Cymru sy’n falch o’r mislif’ yn nodi ein huchelgeisiau i ddod â thlodi mislif i ben a sicrhau urddas mislif i fenywod, merched a phobl sy’n cael mislif.

“Er mwyn gwneud hyn, mae angen inni wella mynediad at nwyddau mislif, chwalu’r stigma neu’r tabŵ sy’n gysylltiedig â siarad am y mislif a gwella dealltwriaeth o’i effaith ar fywydau pobl.”

Ychwanegodd: “Ry’n ni’n gwybod y bydd ffactorau economaidd-gymdeithasol ac amgylcheddol ehangach yn effeithio ar ein gallu i gyflawni’r weledigaeth hon, ond ry’n ni’n ymdrechu i ddechrau’r sgwrs a dechrau newid y diwylliant a fydd o fudd i genedlaethau’r dyfodol.”