Issue 1186
Rhifyn 1186
21 November 2022
gair rhydd
21 Tachwedd 2022
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Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972
Inside: World Cup Wall Chart (Pages 12-13)
Can period poverty be eradicated from Wales? Grace Robson Features Editor
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eriod poverty, in its most simplistic terms, can be described as the struggle to access necessary menstrual products and the difficulties those who cannot afford such necessities face. Period Poverty however is not just a simple, straightforward issue. Those who are faced with period poverty also face both direct and indirect struggles associated with the inability to safely access menstrual products. Some people may make the assumption that Period Poverty only affects a small percentage of the population however, it affects a shockingly large proportion of people experiencing a range of different circumstances. Even if you aren’t aware of it, the likelihood is that someone you know is struggling with period poverty whether it be a family member, friend or colleague. The assumption should never be made that someone isn’t struggling with period poverty, even if you think you know someone’s circumstances. The taboo surrounding not just period poverty, but menstruation as a whole has created a stigma that is still heavily present today, making it even harder for those struggling with period poverty to seek the help that they need. It is estimate by The World Bank Group that at least 500 million people who menstruate globally experience period poverty and do not have safe access to much needed facilities and resources. The issue of period poverty is just as harrowing in Wales with at least 15% of people aged 14-21 unable to afford period products according to a study by Plan UK in 2021. The numbers of those struggling with period poverty continue to increase and have risen significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic as those who previously relied on community spaces such as schools
and community centres to access free period products were unable to access those much-needed resources during the pandemic. Those who struggle with period poverty do not just experience direct struggles such as issues with their health, hygiene and income but also experience a whole host of indirect struggles. People who struggle to safely access menstrual products can find themselves struggling with everyday life due to the consequences of period poverty. A recent study found that in 2017 more than 137,000 people in the UK missed school because they couldn’t afford period products. The indirect effects of period poverty can be astronomical and can have a significant knock-on effect especially for young people struggling with access to menstrual products. A study conducted by the brand Always also found that out of the 1000 people that they surveyed, 39% of them suffered from anxiety and/or depression as a direct consequence of period poverty. The issue of period poverty is urgent. The effects of period poverty are far from simple, the effects are complex and can have a knock-on effect on someone’s entire life and livelihood. have a knock-on effect on someone’s entire life and livelihood. The ongoing issue of period poverty must be considered in conjunction with the issue of period dignity, the idea that safe access to menstrual products must be considered alongside the fight to eliminate the stigmas and taboo surrounding menstruation. The stigma surrounding menstruation as a whole has long aided in the worsening of period poverty. When the subject of periods is taboo, how can we expect someone struggling with period poverty.
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o read Grace's feature on the impacts of period poverty, turn to page 3.
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Qatar 2022: The World Cup kicked off yesterday, with Wales' campaign starting tonight. Image: FLASHPACKER TRAVELGUIDE (via Wikimedia Commons)
Qatar World Cup Controversy Grows
Jade Heath
Politics Editor
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omments on the topic of homosexuality made by a Qatar World Cup ambassador, Khalid Salman, have recently come under scrutiny. The former international footballer deemed it a “damage of the mind” when questioned, which followed a statement that visitors need to accept the nation’s rules regarding
COP27: Everything you need to know Beca Dalis Williams
the criminalisation of homosexuality. The World Cup tournament is due to kick off on the 20th November, and Salman’s comments are indicative of an ongoing debate on the safety of both LGBTQ+ visitors and nationals. In a recent report, the Human Rights Watch uncovered instances of abuse against Qatari LGBTQ+ residents in police custody, including five cases of sexual harrasment and six of repeated beatings (between 2019 and 2022).
S4C yn dathlu 40 mlynedd Millie Stacey
News Editor
Golygydd Taf-od
DAntónio Guterres, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations tweeted ‘we are on the highway to climate hell with the foot on the accelerator’, ‘we need urgent #ClimateAction’. At the start of November the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27) was held by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Lauren Ralphs from the Earth and Ocean society in Cardiff University, hoped that COP27 would discuss the Race to Zero progress. To read Beca's article on the climate conference, turn to page 5
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Leon Goretzka, player for football team Bayern Munich, labelled Salman's comments as “from another millennium” which left him “speechless”. Furthermore, protests recently occurred outside the Fifa museum in Zurich, wherein LGBTQ+ activists critiqued the nation’s anti-gay laws. To read Jade's article on the World Cup ambassador's latest com9 ments, turn to page 9
How to be productive this Winter Megan Shinner Head of Advice
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athlwyd y sianel deledu Cymraeg S4C ei ben-blwydd yn 40 yng nghychwyn mis Tachwedd. Mae amrywiaeth eang o raglenni ar S4C gan gynnwys newyddion, drama, dogfen, cerddoriaeth, adloniant a rhaglenni plant. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae’r deunydd sydd ar y we yn cynnwys gwasanaeth cynnwys byr ar-lein, wedi ei anelu yn bennaf at gynulleidfa 16-34 o’r enw Hansh. Dechreuodd y sianel ar Dachwedd 1af yn 1982, a 40 mlynedd ymlaen mae’r sianel yn cael ei dathlu am ei gwaith tuag at yr iaith Gymraeg. I ddarllen erthygl Millie am y garreg filltir yma, trowch i dudalen 11
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W
ith the shorter days upon us, and the rain pouring nonstop over Cardiff, it becomes very easy to write the day off and climb into bed once 5 pm rolls around. It’s that time of year when academically you need to get things done, but your motivation has disappeared with the sunshine. However, you don’t have to be in an academic mindset to be productive! Just because the light has ended, it doesn’t mean your day has too. To read Megan's article on how to make the most of the shorter days, turn to page 18
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