October 11, 2026 - 228 views
Wales marks International Day of the Girl today with a renewed period poverty pledge
The Welsh Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling period poverty and reducing the stigma surrounding menstruation, as it marks International Day of the Girl.
The Period Proud Wales plan aims to ensure everyone who menstruates can access the products and information they need, without being disadvantaged at school, work or in their social lives.
Under the Welsh Government's Period Dignity Grant, free period products are made available in schools across Wales and a range of community settings, including foodbanks, libraries and leisure centres.
The government is also encouraging employers, sporting organisations and cultural venues to provide free products for staff and visitors.
Menstrual health is included in the NHS Wales Women's Health Plan, with continued support for the Bloody Brilliant resources designed to help young people understand periods, puberty and growing up.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Member for Social Justice and Equality Sioned Williams said period poverty affected individuals, families and communities across Wales.
She said International Day of the Girl was an opportunity to highlight the importance of ensuring people could manage their periods with dignity, confidence and pride.
The Period Proud Wales plan, she added, was about breaking down stigma and making sure no one was held back by something as natural as a period.
An initiative on Anglesey is providing an example of how that work is being delivered in schools, with every primary school offered sessions for Year 6 pupils covering periods, puberty and growing up.
The lessons are delivered to all pupils, regardless of gender, and are supported by staff training, bilingual resources, parents' evenings and starter packs of sustainable period products. Schools can also access free period products.
Carla Desmond, Healthy Schools Co-ordinator, said the work across Anglesey involved schools, pupils, parents and staff in making periods a normal topic of conversation.
She said the aim was to ensure every child had access to the knowledge and products they needed, helping young people feel informed, supported and confident as they approached puberty.
The Welsh Government says improving access to period products and information is part of its wider effort to remove embarrassment and stigma, and ensure menstruation does not become a barrier to education or participation in everyday life.
