Stop letting young people down: Teach menstrual wellbeing in Wales
Today we are sending out a strong message to the Welsh Government that without committing to mandatory menstrual wellbeing education in schools, the next generation of young people will continue to suffer from menstrual health conditions in silence, without the knowledge or the confidence to seek help if something isn’t right. It will also mean that taboos around menstruation will continue. Let’s end the taboo. Let’s equip young people with the knowledge they need to seek help. Let’s teach menstrual wellbeing in schools.
A letter submitted by Endometriosis UK and Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (FTWW) has been sent to the Children, Young people and Education Committee calling on the Welsh Government to stop “letting down” the next generation of young people, as the proposed new school curriculum for Wales fails to include compulsory menstrual wellbeing education.
The campaign is supported by several other organisations including the Royal College of GPs Wales, Plan International, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, calls on the Welsh Government to reconsider its approach to the curriculum and include compulsory menstrual wellbeing for all schools – as Members of the Senedd discuss the final draft later this month.
Without this change, 'the next generation of young people will not have the information they need to make informed choices about their health or know when to seek help.
Compulsory menstrual wellbeing is now on the curriculum in England – but failing to follow suit will leave those in Wales unfairly behind.
A huge thank you to all the organisations who have supported the campaign including the BSGE, the Royal College of GPs Wales, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Verity, Vicious Cycle, Plan International UK, Brook, TOTM, the Eve Appeal, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), amongst all the others. You can view a copy of the letter here
To support the campaign:
- Write to the Children, Young people and Education Committee and tell them why you think menstrual wellbeing education should be compulsory for all pupils. You can use the text from this letter.
- Share this post on your social media using #menstrualwellbeingwales
- Tweet the Children, Young People and Education Committee at @SeneddCYPE and ask them for menstrual wellbeing education to be compulsory in all schools in Wales
- Write to your Member of the Senedd and ask them to support the campaign. You can use our letter here.
