English: I'm ashamed to admit that period poverty isn't something I'd been very aware of prior to becoming a councillor in 2017. It was an issue that was raised by my then fellow Plaid Cymru councillor on Rhondda Cynon Taf council, Elyn Stephens, when she asked us as a group to support a notice of motion that she wanted to submit, urging the council to look into providing free sanitary products in all secondary schools in the county borough, as an acknowledgment that they are as essential as toilet paper for the personal hygiene of female pupils. She spoke openly and bravely about her own experience of not being able to afford products, and what this had meant in terms of her own dignity. She also shared how this also impacted on her, and others she knew, not being able to attend school when they were menstruating, therefore also missing out on education just because of a normal bodily function. I was a member of the working group set up to look into this issue, and as part of this work, we asked for evidence via a survey from teachers and also from female pupils about the situation as they saw it then. Seven hundred and eighty four female learners took part in the survey, and focus groups were also held between pupils and the working group to better understand directly what the issues were. They were very, very clear with us that period poverty was an issue, with one attendee stating, 'People miss school because of periods or leave school early if they have an accident or need sanitary products and don't have them on them - it affects attendance'. This was a view supported by 64 per cent of headteachers, with this rising to 86 per cent of responses from reception staff and 75 per cent for school nurses. So, an acknowledgement that period poverty was having a direct impact on attendance. Common issues were not knowing where to access free products even if they were available, or being made to feel too embarrassed to ask rather than being able to access them themselves. We also uncovered evidence that there was a huge amount of misinformation and misunderstanding amongst male teachers and young men about periods, with some thinking that you could choose when you bleed, a bit like choosing when you go to the toilet. This meant that girls were being denied permission to go the toilet, resulting in accidents even when they had products to hand, or not being able to access them because they were not allowed to take their bags to the toilet with them. I'm glad to say that this did lead to a policy change in RCT, and was a contributing factor, I believe, alongside other similar campaigns at the time, that led to Welsh Government committing resources to address the issue too. We have come a long way since then, but though there has been progress, there is more to do, and it's important that we keep talking about and normalising periods so that progress isn't lost. And there are many people doing just that. Many Senedd Members will be aware, I'm sure, of Molly Fenton, who founded the Love Your Period campaign, and is doing so much to break taboos and raise awareness about this issue. I'd like to thank her for her important work, and how she continues to highlight the challenges in ensuring that free products reach those who need them. A recent survey she sent out to students and parents across Cardiff revealed that 97 per cent of pupils hadn't received essential period products from their schools to help them make it through the summer holidays, meaning that there is still work to be done to make access easier. The products are now available for free, but they're not reaching those who need them. I'd also like to publicly send my solidarity to Molly, after seeing the comments that were left on a video that she made about her campaign last year for Welsh Government. The attacks were hugely personal and cruel, and Molly was brave enough to reshare and highlight some of them just recently - they were horrific, and I wouldn't even want to give them air time in this Chamber by repeating them. But all this was just about speaking about period dignity, just about talking about a normal bodily function. And she referenced, in a recent Tweet, the song, 'The Man' by Taylor Swift, and she simply asked, 'If I was male, people wouldn't be focusing on how pretty my outfit was, or how it complimented my figure. And that what I'm doing is amazing, instead of being put down for being pushy and out of line. It's absurd and needs to stop'. I couldn't agree more with you, Molly, and I would hope that all Members of the Senedd would join me in condemning those who have criticised her and the campaign, and vow today to support the normalisation of talking about periods. Period poverty isn't only something that impacts young people, and I think we also need to acknowledge today the possibility that the cost-of-living crisis will lead to more people who menstruate not being able to access the products they need. Anecdotally, this is something that was shared as a concern in a recent cost-of-living event that I organised in my region, where foodbanks and others reported an increase in demand for period products, as well as other hygiene products. Recent reports also show an increase in the cost of period products, with the mysupermarketcompare website recently showing that a box of 18 Tampax Pearl Compak Super Plus tampons were on sale at one supermarket for £1.95 a few weeks ago, but that now, only a 16-pack is available for £2.60; that's 65p more for two fewer tampons, or 50 per cent more per tampon. It's also an issue that impacts refugee women, as highlighted by the Women for Refugee Women charity, which supports women who are seeking asylum in the UK. They found that 75 per cent of women they interviewed struggled to obtain period pads or tampons, forcing them to overuse a period product, improvise period wear, or beg for money to buy a pad. But, as I said earlier, this debate isn't about trying to persuade the Welsh Government that period poverty is an issue; we are all well aware of this, and I would hope that we are all committed to putting in place actions to help eradicate this issue. Rather, the focus is on the need for them to take that extra step by enshrining this work in law via a period products Bill, as has happened in Scotland. This was a campaign that was led by the Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament, Monica Lennon, and came into force on 15 August of this year. The aim of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 is to tackle period poverty, promote period dignity and break the stigma surrounding periods in Scotland. As a result of the Bill, Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products available for free to all, by making it now a legal duty for local authorities, education providers and specified public service bodies to provide products easily available, as well as being free of charge. Earlier this year, I visited Scotland as part of my work representing the Senedd on the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, and I was immediately struck by the fact that period products were just as accessible wherever I went as toilet paper was - so, in all public toilets I used, including at the airport. Contrast this to our own Senedd and toilets used by us and staff where there are products available, but in a machine on a wall, meaning that even if you can afford to access them, it isn't always possible if you don't have coins. Can you imagine a situation where we would be okay with putting toilet paper in a machine, and asking people to pay for each sheet? There would rightly be outrage. Yet, that's what happens day in, day out, when it comes to period products in Wales, even in this very building. And that's what introducing a Bill and legislation has changed in Scotland.
Welsh: Mae gennyf gywilydd i gyfaddef nad yw tlodi mislif yn rhywbeth roeddwn i wedi bod yn ymwybodol iawn ohono cyn dod yn gynghorydd yn 2017. Roedd yn fater a godwyd gan fy nghyd-gynghorydd Plaid Cymru ar gyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf, Elyn Stephens pan ofynnodd i ni fel grŵp gefnogi hysbysiad o gynnig roedd hi am ei gyflwyno, yn annog y cyngor i edrych ar ddarparu cynnyrch mislif am ddim ym mhob ysgol uwchradd yn y fwrdeistref sirol, i gydnabod eu bod mor hanfodol â phapur toiled ar gyfer hylendid personol disgyblion benywaidd. Siaradodd yn agored ac yn ddewr am ei phrofiad ei hun o fethu fforddio cynhyrchion, a beth roedd hynny wedi'i olygu i'w hurddas ei hun. Rhannodd hefyd sut yr effeithiodd hyn arni hi, ac eraill roedd hi'n eu hadnabod, a methu mynychu'r ysgol pan oeddent yn cael mislif, ac felly'n colli addysg oherwydd gweithrediad corfforol normal. Roeddwn yn aelod o'r gweithgor a sefydlwyd i ymchwilio i'r mater, ac fel rhan o'r gwaith hwn, gofynnwyd am dystiolaeth drwy arolwg gan athrawon a hefyd gan ddisgyblion benywaidd am y sefyllfa fel y'i gwelent bryd hynny. Cymerodd 784 o ddysgwyr benywaidd ran yn yr arolwg, a chynhaliwyd grwpiau ffocws hefyd rhwng disgyblion a'r gweithgor i ddeall yn well beth oedd y problemau. Roeddent yn glir iawn gyda ni fod tlodi mislif yn broblem, gydag un o'r rhai a oedd yn bresennol yn datgan, 'Mae pobl yn colli ysgol oherwydd mislif neu'n gadael yr ysgol yn gynnar os ydynt yn cael damwain neu angen cynhyrchion mislif ac nad oes ganddynt rai - mae'n effeithio ar bresenoldeb'. Roedd hwn yn safbwynt a gefnogwyd gan 64 y cant o benaethiaid, gan godi i 86 y cant o ymatebion gan staff derbynfa a 75 y cant o nyrsys ysgol. Felly, cydnabyddiaeth fod tlodi mislif yn cael effaith uniongyrchol ar bresenoldeb. Materion cyffredin a oedd yn codi oedd methu gwybod lle i gael gafael ar gynhyrchion am ddim hyd yn oed os oeddent ar gael, neu gael eu gwneud i deimlo gormod o embaras i ofyn yn hytrach na gallu cael gafael arnynt eu hunain. Fe wnaethom ddatgelu tystiolaeth hefyd fod llawer iawn o gamwybodaeth a chamddealltwriaeth ymhlith athrawon gwrywaidd a dynion ifanc am y mislif, gyda rhai'n meddwl y gallech ddewis pryd y byddwch yn gwaedu, ychydig fel dewis pryd y byddwch yn mynd i'r tŷ bach. Golygai hyn fod caniatâd i fynd i'r tŷ bach yn cael ei wrthod i ferched, gan arwain at ddamweiniau hyd yn oed pan oedd ganddynt gynhyrchion at eu defnydd, neu fethu cael gafael arnynt am nad oeddent yn cael mynd â'u bagiau i'r tŷ bach gyda hwy. Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod hyn wedi arwain at newid polisi yn RhCT, ac roedd yn ffactor a oedd wedi cyfrannu, rwy'n credu, ochr yn ochr ag ymgyrchoedd tebyg eraill ar y pryd, at weld Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn ymrwymo adnoddau i fynd i'r afael â'r mater. Rydym wedi dod yn bell ers hynny, ond er bod cynnydd wedi bod, mae mwy i'w wneud, ac mae'n bwysig ein bod yn dal i siarad am y mislif a'i normaleiddio fel nad yw'r cynnydd hwnnw'n cael ei golli. Ac mae yna lawer o bobl yn gwneud hynny. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd llawer o Aelodau'r Senedd yn gwybod am Molly Fenton, a sefydlodd ymgyrch Love Your Period, ac sy'n gwneud cymaint i chwalu tabŵs a chodi ymwybyddiaeth am y mater hwn. Hoffwn ddiolch iddi am ei gwaith pwysig, a'r modd y mae'n parhau i dynnu sylw at yr heriau i sicrhau bod cynhyrchion am ddim yn cyrraedd y rhai sydd eu hangen. Dangosodd arolwg diweddar a anfonodd at fyfyrwyr a rhieni ar draws Caerdydd nad oedd 97 y cant o ddisgyblion wedi cael cynnyrch mislif hanfodol gan eu hysgolion i'w helpu drwy wyliau'r haf, sy'n golygu bod gwaith i'w wneud o hyd i wneud mynediad at y cynhyrchion hyn yn haws. Mae'r cynhyrchion bellach ar gael am ddim, ond nid ydynt yn cyrraedd y rhai sydd eu hangen. Hefyd, hoffwn anfon fy nghefnogaeth i Molly yn gyhoeddus ar ôl gweld y sylwadau a gafodd eu gadael ar fideo a wnaeth am ei hymgyrch y llynedd ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru. Roedd yr ymosodiadau'n hynod o bersonol a chreulon, ac roedd Molly'n ddigon dewr i ailrannu a thynnu sylw at rai ohonynt yn ddiweddar - roeddent yn erchyll, ac ni fyddwn am roi sylw iddynt yn y Siambr hon drwy eu hailadrodd. Ond roedd hyn i gyd oherwydd ei bod hi'n siarad am urddas mislif, yn siarad am weithrediad corfforol normal. Ac mewn trydariad yn ddiweddar, cyfeiriodd at y gân, 'The Man' gan Taylor Swift, a gofynnodd yn syml iawn, 'Pe bawn i'n ddyn, ni fyddai pobl yn canolbwyntio ar ba mor bert yw fy ngwisg, na sut y dangosai fy siâp. A bod yr hyn rwy'n ei wneud yn anhygoel, yn lle cael fy nifrïo am fod yn ormod o geffyl blaen ac am gicio yn erbyn y tresi. Mae'n hurt ac mae angen iddo stopio'. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi, Molly, a byddwn yn gobeithio y byddai holl Aelodau'r Senedd yn ymuno â mi i gondemnio'r rhai sydd wedi ei beirniadu hi a'r ymgyrch, ac yn addunedu heddiw i gefnogi normaleiddio siarad am y mislif. Nid rhywbeth sy'n effeithio ar bobl ifanc yn unig yw tlodi mislif, ac rwy'n credu bod angen inni gydnabod y posibilrwydd heddiw hefyd y bydd yr argyfwng costau byw yn arwain at weld mwy o bobl sy'n cael mislif yn methu cael gafael ar y cynhyrchion sydd eu hangen arnynt. Yn anecdotaidd, mae hyn yn rhywbeth a rannwyd fel pryder mewn digwyddiad costau byw a drefnais yn fy rhanbarth yn ddiweddar, lle nododd banciau bwyd ac eraill gynnydd yn y galw am gynnyrch mislif, yn ogystal â chynhyrchion hylendid eraill. Mae adroddiadau diweddar hefyd yn dangos cynnydd yng nghost cynhyrchion mislif, gyda gwefan mysupermarketcompare yn dangos yn ddiweddar fod bocs o 18 o damponau Tampax Pearl Compak Super Plus ar werth mewn un archfarchnad am £1.95 ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, ond erbyn hyn, dim ond pecyn 16 sydd ar gael am £2.60; dyna 65c yn fwy am ddau dampon yn llai, neu 50 y cant yn fwy am bob tampon. Mae hefyd yn fater sy'n effeithio ar fenywod sy'n ffoaduriaid, fel yr amlygwyd gan elusen Women for Refugee Women, sy'n cefnogi menywod sy'n ceisio lloches yn y DU. Gwelsant fod 75 y cant o fenywod y gwnaethant eu cyfweld yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael padiau mislif neu damponau, gan eu gorfodi i orddefnyddio cynnyrch mislif, addasu deunydd mislif, neu gardota am arian i brynu pad. Ond fel y dywedais yn gynharach, nid nod y ddadl hon yw ceisio perswadio Llywodraeth Cymru fod tlodi mislif yn broblem; rydym i gyd yn ymwybodol iawn o hyn, a byddwn yn gobeithio ein bod i gyd wedi ymrwymo i roi camau ar waith i helpu i ddileu'r broblem. Yn hytrach, mae'r ffocws ar yr angen iddynt gymryd y cam ychwanegol o osod y gwaith hwn mewn cyfraith drwy fil cynnyrch mislif, fel sydd wedi digwydd yn yr Alban. Roedd hon yn ymgyrch a gafodd ei harwain gan Aelod Llafur o Senedd yr Alban, Monica Lennon, a daeth i rym ar 15 Awst eleni. Nod Deddf Cynnyrch Mislif (Darpariaeth am Ddim) (Yr Alban) 2021 yw trechu tlodi mislif, hyrwyddo urddas mislif a thorri'r stigma sy'n gysylltiedig â'r mislif yn yr Alban. O ganlyniad i'r Bil, yr Alban oedd y wlad gyntaf yn y byd i sicrhau bod cynhyrchion mislif ar gael am ddim i bawb, drwy ei gwneud yn ddyletswydd gyfreithiol nawr i awdurdodau lleol, darparwyr addysg a chyrff gwasanaethau cyhoeddus penodol ddarparu cynhyrchion i fod ar gael yn hawdd ac am ddim. Yn gynharach eleni, ymwelais â'r Alban fel rhan o fy ngwaith yn cynrychioli'r Senedd yng Nghynulliad Seneddol Prydain ac Iwerddon, ac fe'm trawyd yn syth gan y ffaith bod cynnyrch mislif yr un mor hygyrch â phapur tŷ bach lle bynnag yr awn - felly, ym mhob toiled cyhoeddus a ddefnyddiais, gan gynnwys yn y maes awyr. Cymharwch hynny â'n Senedd ni a thoiledau a ddefnyddir gennym ni a staff lle mae cynhyrchion ar gael, ond mewn peiriant ar wal, sy'n golygu, hyd yn oed os gallwch fforddio eu prynu, nad yw bob amser yn bosibl os nad oes gennych ddarnau arian. A allwch chi ddychmygu sefyllfa lle byddem yn ei hystyried yn iawn i roi papur tŷ bach mewn peiriant, a gofyn i bobl dalu am bob dalen? Byddai pobl yn ddig, ac yn briodol felly. Ac eto, dyna sy'n digwydd bob diwrnod gyda chynnyrch mislif yng Nghymru, hyd yn oed yn yr adeilad hwn. A dyna beth mae cyflwyno Bil a deddfwriaeth wedi ei newid yn yr Alban.