English: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Llywydd. And diolch, Heledd, for bringing forward this important topic for your short debate today. I recall debating period poverty probably about four or five years ago, with Jenny Rathbone, I think - a motion that we jointly promoted - and it was the first time that this had been debated in the devolved Welsh Parliament. It was a breakthrough at the time, that we were debating it, and it led to Government action. And also, thank you for recognising the work that the Welsh Government has done, over a number of years now, on financial initiatives to tackle period poverty, because eradicating period poverty means ensuring that having a period does not lead to missed education, absences from work, or withdrawal, indeed, from sports and social activities. As Sioned Williams has said, this is a matter of social justice. So, since 2018, we have invested around £12 million to ensure that period products are freely available in schools and colleges across Wales, and in community settings. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, this was extended to allow local councils, local authorities, more flexibility to ensure that products were available for those who needed them, via a variety of means, including issuing vouchers in places in Wales where it was difficult to provide delivery or collection of products. And I recall asking how schools were going to get products, which we were obviously funding and providing, and then making sure that they were available, if not at the school, then in the community. So thank you also, Heledd, for highlighting the important role of local elected members, including your colleague and yourself - and I recall hearing about that initiative in Rhondda Cynon Taf. And of course, all across Wales now, Members have engaged with this to make sure that the delivery of the products and the investment that we're making is well used. I think it's about working together to make sure that that provision is right. And over the years, we've talked to schools' councils, we've talked to boys as well as girls, we've come together with schools to openly challenge the ignorance and stigma that we've been discussing this afternoon, and, of course, that means engaging the whole school staff, not just the teachers, but the heads and the leadership and all who are engaged.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Llywydd. A diolch, Heledd, am gyflwyno'r pwnc pwysig hwn ar gyfer eich dadl fer heddiw. Rwy'n cofio trafod tlodi mislif, tua phedair neu bum mlynedd yn ôl mae'n debyg, gyda Jenny Rathbone, rwy'n meddwl - cynnig a gefnogwyd gan y ddwy ohonom - a dyna'r tro cyntaf i hyn gael ei drafod yn Senedd ddatganoledig Cymru. Roedd yn torri tir newydd ar y pryd, ein bod yn ei drafod, ac fe arweiniodd at weithredu gan y Llywodraeth. A diolch i chi hefyd am gydnabod y gwaith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud, dros nifer o flynyddoedd bellach, ar fentrau ariannol i fynd i'r afael â thlodi mislif, oherwydd mae dileu tlodi mislif yn golygu sicrhau nad yw cael mislif yn arwain at golli addysg, at absenoldeb o'r gwaith, neu at dynnu'n ôl o weithgareddau chwaraeon a chymdeithasol yn wir. Fel y dywedodd Sioned Williams, mae'n fater o gyfiawnder cymdeithasol. Felly, ers 2018, rydym wedi buddsoddi tua £12 miliwn i sicrhau bod cynnyrch mislif ar gael am ddim mewn ysgolion a cholegau ledled Cymru, ac mewn lleoliadau cymunedol. Ac yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19, cafodd hyn ei ymestyn i ganiatáu mwy o hyblygrwydd i gynghorau lleol, awdurdodau lleol, i sicrhau bod cynhyrchion ar gael i'r rhai oedd eu hangen drwy amryw o ddulliau, gan gynnwys rhoi talebau mewn mannau yng Nghymru lle roedd yn anodd darparu cynnyrch i'w ddosbarthu neu ei gasglu. Ac rwy'n cofio gofyn sut oedd ysgolion yn mynd i gael cynhyrchion roeddem ni'n eu hariannu ac yn eu darparu, a gwneud yn siŵr eu bod ar gael, os nad yn yr ysgol, yna yn y gymuned. Felly diolch i chi hefyd, Heledd, am dynnu sylw at rôl bwysig aelodau etholedig lleol, yn cynnwys eich cydweithiwr a chi eich hun - ac rwy'n cofio clywed am y fenter yn Rhondda Cynon Taf. Ac wrth gwrs, ledled Cymru bellach, mae'r Aelodau wedi bwrw iddi ar hyn i sicrhau bod y gwaith o ddarparu'r cynhyrchion a'r buddsoddiad a wnawn yn cael ei ddefnyddio'n dda. Rwy'n meddwl ei fod yn ymwneud â gweithio gyda'n gilydd i wneud yn siŵr fod y ddarpariaeth honno'n iawn. A dros y blynyddoedd, rydym wedi siarad â chynghorau ysgolion, rydym wedi siarad â bechgyn yn ogystal â merched, rydym wedi gweithio gydag ysgolion i herio'r anwybodaeth a'r stigma y buom yn ei drafod y prynhawn yma, ac wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n golygu ymgysylltu â staff yr ysgol gyfan, nid yr athrawon yn unig, ond y penaethiaid a'r arweinwyr a phawb sy'n gysylltiedig.