Wrexham AM welcomes funding announcement to stop period poverty in schools in Wales

Wrexham’s Assembly Member has welcomed an announcement that schoolgirls across the county borough and Wales will be given access to free sanitary products in a bid to end period poverty.

Up to £2.3 million worth of funding has been announced by the Welsh Government as part of the Period Dignity Grant for Schools.

The funding will help provide 141,000 girls in Welsh primary and secondary schools with a range of sanitary products. It will ensure sanitary products are free-of-charge and accessible in the most practical and appropriate way possible.

Schools will also be encouraged to support reusable, environmentally sustainable products to allow maximum choice for learners.

Lesley Griffiths AM has praised the Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to tackling ‘period poverty’ – where women and girls struggle to afford basic sanitary products.

Ms Griffiths said: “It is totally unacceptable that young women are missing days at school because they cannot afford sanitary products.

“Research suggests the issue affects a significant number of girls but every young woman should have access to something so basic.”

“The Welsh Government has demonstrated its commitment to tackling inequality and eradicating period poverty with a series of measures introduced in recent times.

“This latest essential funding will help remove an unnecessary barrier to education and help make period poverty a thing of the past.”

The funding, which will immediately be made available for local authorities to administer, is the latest in a line of measures introduced by the Welsh Government to help address the problems surrounding period poverty.

Last month, the Welsh Government announced free sanitary products will be available to all patients in Welsh hospitals.

The latest funding means the Welsh Government has committed £3.4 million in total for period dignity after £1.1 million was provided to schools and communities last year.