English: Poverty is a feminist issue. When young women miss school because they can't afford sanitary products, it's poverty. When women have to use toilet paper, old clothes, or often nothing at all, in place of pads and tampons when they menstruate, it's poverty. When women have to make the choice between buying sanitary products, clothes, bus fare or food, it's poverty. Yes, poverty is a feminist issue and it disproportionately affects women and girls. In Wales, women make up the majority of part-time and low-paid workers and are the most likely to be affected by cruel cuts to welfare. It's a cause of national shame that there are women in Wales who are unable to afford to buy the sanitary supplies that they need. I was pleased when the £1 million grant provided by the Welsh Government was announced, because that will offer some level of funding to alleviate the symptoms of period poverty. But it isn't enough. Broken down, the £1 million grant offers every local authority in Wales approximately £22,000 over the course of two years to purchase and distribute sanitary products. However, Rhondda Cynon Taf council alone would require £70,000 in just one year to buy and dispense the sanitary products. If we are to be serious about tackling the issue of period poverty, then we must go further than a short-term Band-Aid solution - we must look to tackling the root cause of the problem head on, and that means tackling poverty. The Welsh Government must put in place real measures to eradicate poverty in Wales, and that begins with the devolution of welfare administration. It must also implement a coherent, long-term strategy that has been properly budgeted and which will include securing consistent, universal provision of sanitary items throughout Wales. The issue of period poverty is not without stigma and taboo. We need to rid the shame that is associated with menstruating and educate everyone openly and honestly about the topic. We should be as comfortable talking about providing sanitary products as we are about talking about providing toilet paper. The Welsh Government has a responsibility to fully implement the recommendations of 'The Future of the Sex and Relationships Education Curriculum in Wales' report by the sex and relationships expert panel to ensure that all schools in Wales provide high-quality, inclusive sex and relationships education. I must also point out that this is not an original Labour initiative. It was Plaid Cymru who forced this issue on to the agenda, and when councillors in my area forced a vote on a period poverty fund, Labour chose to oppose. But their tenacious attitude has kept this campaign alive, and that's why I want to pay tribute to the formidable Plaid Cymru women councillors on Rhondda Cynon Taf, who, after a long, hard-fought campaign under the leadership of young councillor Elyn Stephens, ensured free sanitary product provisions for all secondary school pupils throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf. The councils of Merthyr Tydfil, the Vale of Glamorgan and Newport have all presented motions following Rhondda Cynon Taf's example, demonstrating that there is an organic movement towards providing universal sanitary provision, with young women at the forefront. Menstrual care is a healthcare issue, and healthcare is a human right. For the sake of equality, sanitary products and access to comprehensive sex and relationships education must be accessible to everyone in Wales. Universal provision is a crucial cog in the mechanisms of achieving an equal society. Wales has the power and the potential to lead by example, not only in eradicating poverty, but in creating a country that is equal.
Welsh: Mae tlodi yn fater ffeministaidd. Pan fo menywod ifanc yn colli ysgol oherwydd na allant fforddio cynhyrchion misglwyf, tlodi yw hynny. Pan fo menywod yn gorfod defnyddio papur toiled, hen ddillad, neu ddim byd o gwbl, yn aml, yn lle padiau a thamponau pan fyddant yn cael eu mislif, tlodi yw hynny. Pan fo menywod yn gorfod dewis rhwng prynu cynhyrchion misglwyf, dillad, tocyn bws neu fwyd, tlodi yw hynny. Ydy, mae tlodi yn fater ffeministaidd ac mae effeithio'n anghymesur ar fenywod a merched. Yng Nghymru, menywod yw'r rhan fwyaf o weithwyr rhan-amser a gweithwyr ar gyflogau isel a hwy sy'n fwyaf tebygol o gael eu heffeithio gan doriadau creulon i les. Mae'n destun cywilydd cenedlaethol fod yna fenywod yng Nghymru nad ydynt yn gallu fforddio prynu'r cyflenwadau o gynhyrchion misglwyf sydd eu hangen arnynt. Roeddwn yn falch pan gyhoeddwyd y grant £1 filiwn a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, oherwydd bydd yn cynnig rhyw lefel o arian i leddfu symptomau tlodi misglwyf. Ond nid yw'n ddigon. O'i ddadelfennu, mae grant o £1 filiwn yn cynnig oddeutu £22,000 dros ddwy flynedd i bob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru i brynu a dosbarthu cynhyrchion misglwyf. Fodd bynnag, byddai cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf yn unig angen £70,000 mewn un flwyddyn yn unig i brynu a dosbarthu'r cynhyrchion misglwyf. Os ydym o ddifrif ynglŷn â mynd i'r afael â thlodi misglwyf, rhaid inni fynd ymhellach nag ateb arwynebol tymor byr - rhaid inni geisio mynd i'r afael â gwraidd y broblem yn uniongyrchol, ac mae hynny'n golygu trechu tlodi. Rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru roi mesurau go iawn ar waith i ddileu tlodi yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny'n dechrau gyda datganoli gweinyddu lles. Rhaid iddi hefyd weithredu strategaeth gydlynol, hirdymor wedi'i chyllidebu'n briodol ac a fydd yn cynnwys sicrhau darpariaeth gyson, gynhwysol o eitemau misglwyf ledled Cymru. Mae stigma a thabŵ yn perthyn i dlodi misglwyf. Mae angen inni gael gwared ar y cywilydd sy'n gysylltiedig â'r mislif ac addysgu pawb yn agored ac yn onest am y pwnc. Dylem fod yr un mor gyfforddus yn sôn am ddarparu cynnyrch misglwyf ag yr ydym yn sôn am ddarparu papur toiled. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyfrifoldeb i weithredu'n llawn argymhellion yr adroddiad 'Dyfodol y cwricwlwm addysg rhyw a pherthnasoedd yng Nghymru' gan y panel arbenigol rhyw a pherthnasoedd i sicrhau bod pob ysgol yng Nghymru yn darparu addysg rhyw a pherthnasoedd sy'n gynhwysol ac o ansawdd uchel. Rhaid imi nodi hefyd nad menter Lafur yw hon yn wreiddiol. Plaid Cymru a wthiodd y mater ar yr agenda, a phan wthiodd cynghorwyr yn fy ardal am bleidlais ar gronfa tlodi misglwyf, dewisodd Llafur wrthwynebu. Ond mae eu hymagwedd ddygn wedi cadw'r ymgyrch hon yn fyw, a dyna pam rwyf am dalu teyrnged i'r menywod aruthrol sy'n gynghorwyr Plaid Cymru yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, ac sydd, ar ôl ymgyrch hir ac a chaled o dan arweinyddiaeth y cynghorydd ifanc, Elyn Stephens, wedi sicrhau bod cynhyrchion misglwyf yn cael eu darparu yn rhad ac am ddim i'r holl ddisgyblion ysgolion uwchradd ledled Rhondda Cynon Taf. Mae cynghorau Merthyr Tudful, Bro Morgannwg a Chasnewydd oll wedi cyflwyno cynigion yn dilyn esiampl Rhondda Cynon Taf, gan ddangos bod yna symudiad organig tuag at ddarparu cynhyrchion misglwyf i bawb, gyda menywod ifanc yn flaenllaw ynddo. Mae gofal mislif yn fater gofal iechyd, ac mae gofal iechyd yn hawl ddynol. Er mwyn cydraddoldeb, rhaid i gynhyrchion misglwyf ac addysg rhyw a pherthnasoedd gynhwysfawr fod ar gael i bawb yng Nghymru. Mae darpariaeth gyffredinol yn olwyn hollbwysig yn y peirianwaith i sicrhau cymdeithas gyfartal. Mae gan Gymru bŵer a photensial i arwain drwy esiampl, nid yn unig ar ddileu tlodi, ond yn y gwaith o greu gwlad sy'n gyfartal.