By Solomon Gumah
Walewale (NE/R), May 29, GNA – Plan International Ghana, an NGO, has distributed 1,000 reusable sanitary pads to school girls to commemorate this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day at Walewale in the West Mamprusi Municipality.
Held on the theme: “Together for a Period Friendly Ghana”, the commemoration was to draw attention to the challenges faced by women and girls in managing their menstrual health, especially in resource-limited settings.
It also emphasised the need for the implementation of effective policies and programmes to improve menstrual hygiene.
The celebration brought together key stakeholders from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Education Service, and various development partners in the region.
Mr Constant Tchona, Country Director of Plan International Ghana, speaking during the event, called for increased awareness around menstrual health and investment in menstrual education and WASH facilities, especially in schools.
He said, “Menstruation is not a choice. It is a natural, healthy part of life. Yet for far too long, the word ‘period’ has been whispered in shame, wrapped in stigma, and burdened in silence.”
He said, “Today, we take a stand for every girl, who has missed school, for every woman, who has suffered in silence, and for every voice that has gone unheard.”
He highlighted several key interventions by the organisation, including support for visually impaired girls to advocate for WASH facilities, the construction of over 100 girl-friendly latrines, the launch of pad banks in schools and universities, and the distribution of reusable pads to more than 150,000 girls amongst others.
Mr Tchona commended the government for allocating GHc292.4 million in the 2025 budget for the provision of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools.
He noted that such initiatives were crucial to reducing absenteeism, improving menstrual hygiene, and breaking the cycle of poverty that disproportionately affected girls.
He urged the government to ensure the effective implementation of the Free Pad Initiative, especially in underserved rural communities, and called for sustained investment in menstrual health education, school sanitation facilities, and the local production of sanitary pads at scale.
Mr Ibrahim Tia, North East Regional Minister described the celebration as a vital platform for collective action to safeguard the dignity, health, and educational rights of women and girls.
He praised Plan International Ghana for its continued contributions to development in the region, especially through the Integrated Package for Sustainable Development (IPADEV) project, describing its efforts as “exemplary and deeply impactful.”
Mr Tia also emphasised the important role parents and guardians played in guiding and protecting children, saying “We must remain vigilant and involved in the lives of our young ones to steer them away from harmful behaviours such as substance abuse and peer pressure that can derail their future.”
Reverend Ibrahim Sebiyam, Headmaster of Walewale Senior High/Technical School, appealed to Plan International Ghana and other benevolent organisations to provide the school with a female-friendly toilet facility, changing rooms, and potable water facilities.
He expressed concern over the school’s dependence on the Community Water and Sanitation Agency for water, describing the supply as erratic and inadequate.
He said, “With a current student population of 2,013, the school faces limited water storage facilities. This often forces students to leave campus in search of water disrupting academic activities and leading to indiscipline.”
World Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed annually on May 28, is global initiative aimed at raising awareness about menstruation, promoting good practices, and breaking myths and misconceptions surrounding menstruation.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Christian Akorlie