On Saturday 21st June, young people from across the region gathered in Bradford, this years City of Culture, to explore the 2 national UK Youth Parliament campaigns for 2025, as voted for in February – to end Period Poverty and work towards Votes at 16.

To widen their understanding of Period Dignity, the young people participated in a workshop from Freedom4girls, a Leeds based international charity who fight period poverty.   The group explored – How do we together improve period dignity in education?

• access to toilets
• access to period products
• period education, empowerment & support

Timely, as more schools are restricting access to toilets for pupils, as evidenced by Toilet Shutters being installed at a York School.   Period Dignity and access to toilets are linked, and the group feel this issue needs to be addressed, if more young women are not to miss school and young people don’t have to choose between eating lunch and queuing for the toilet.