By Kamal Ahmed
Atua (E/R) May 30, GNA – Pencils of Promise, a non-profit Organisation and Fidelity Bank, have organised an event Lower Manya Krobo municipality of the Eastern region, to encourage comprehensive education on ensuring a period-friendly world for girls.
Mr Freeman Gobah, the Country Director for Pencils of Promise, advocated for a comprehensive menstrual hygiene education and said positive solutions to addressing the challenges, should not be underestimated.
He underscored the importance of tackling these issues effectively through the annual commemorations of the Menstrual Hygiene Days, of which the 2024 theme: “A period-friendly world,” aimed to create public awareness, increase actions and highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management among females.
He stated that menstrual hygiene management was a major concern affecting both women and girls, especially in underserved communities in Ghana.
“Girls in underserved communities mostly go through many avoidable challenges in relation to menstrual hygiene management, as many of the schools in the deprived areas do not have the necessary infrastructure supplies and adequate resources to support girls during menstruation,” he said.
The Pencils of Promise had trained over 1000 teachers on how to educate menstrual hygiene at the school level and encouraged them to integrate menstrual hygiene into their lessons.
He also said 6000 affordable reusable sanitary pads have been provided to girls in basic schools to ensure their continuous stay in school and have the confidence to participate in all school activities.
Mrs Majorie Quansah, the Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator of Fidelity Bank Ghana, said menstruation was a human right but remained a challenge for both women and girls around the globe.
“This challenge is affecting education, health, and overall well-being; it continues the cycle of poverty and inequalities,” she said.
Saying, “it is our collective responsibility to address these challenges and ensure that every woman or girl can manage their menstrual hygiene with dignity”.
She said that achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls was essential to sustainable development and called on the government, non-governmental organisations to push for policies that prioritised menstrual health and hygiene.
Mr Godfred Ofoe Ceasar, the Eastern Regional School Health Education Programme (SHEP) coordinator, explained that menstruation was a natural biological process that every woman experiences, yet it was still shrouded in stigma and taboo in many parts of the world.
“Inadequate access to menstrual products, poor sanitation facilities, and a lack of education can lead to significant challenges for women and girls, impacting their health, education, and overall well-being,” he said.
“We are going to succeed if we continuously raise awareness of the myths and misconceptions, stigma, and male involvement,” he stated.
He also called for intensification of advocacies for policies to stimulate period-friendly Ghana, promote improved access to menstrual products, and advocate for more investment in WASH facilities and other services in schools.
Unfortunately, some girls may fall victim to exploitation and sexual abuse because of their inability to access sanitary products, but these girls were celebrated annually with gifts of sanitary pads from diverse institutions and individuals.
In the past, education and sensitisation on menstrual hygiene and health were not common, leading some girls to use unconventional materials such as toilet rolls and paper during their periods, he said.
The lack of awareness and access to proper menstrual hygiene products could have serious consequences, including the risk of infections and skin irritations.
Mr Ceasar encouraged the use of reusable sanitary pads, which could provide a comfortable and reliable solution for menstrual health.
As part of this effort, Pencils of Promise and other partners provided packages of reusable pads to female teachers and students from various schools in the area, including Adjikpo Yokunya, Atua Saint Paul, Kodjonya Millennium, and Odumase Akro.
GNA