School girls receive sanitary pads to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day
22 August 2022Plan International Ghana distributed more than 4,000 sanitary pads to girls in schools in the Eastern Region as part of activities marking this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration.
Over 4,000 sanitary pads were distributed to school girls in Ghana’s Eastern Region by Plan International to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Plan International Ghana’s Gender Specialist, Madam Lillian Bruce, addressing the gathering at Okra Kwadwo, said many of the girls had stopped attending school due to the negative social norms surrounding menstrual hygiene management.
Supporting girls to manage their periods
She said the distribution of products was to help girls meet their needs as they went through their menstrual cycle, especially in rural communities where they could not afford sanitary pads.
Madam Bruce also urged traditional leaders and authorities to educate society to break the silence and taboo, raise awareness and change negative social norms surrounding menstrual hygiene management, especially among boys and men.
Dr. Augustine Ankuvie, the Okere District Health Director, commended Plan International Ghana for the intervention which he said was very timely.
Sanitary pads keep girls in school
He said some girls in the area had dropped out of school and also got pregnant in the municipality because of a lack of sanitary pads.
He also said that the harmful social norms affected girls’ health, safety, and dignity, as well as keeping them out of school, preventing equal education opportunities for them.
Education, Sexual and reproductive health and rights, Menstruation
Related pages
