By Gilbert Azeem Tiroog
Fumbisi (U/E), June 17, GNA-A total of 137 students from four Basic Schools in the Builsa South District of the Upper East Region, on behalf of their colleagues, have presented a petition to President John Dramani Mahama, requesting clarity on the government’s Free Sanitary Pad Policy.
They are advocates and club members of the One Million Smiles Project being implemented by Afrikids Ghana, a child rights’ organisation, in the district.
They marched through the Fumbisi Market with placards, raising awareness on menstrual hygiene to the Builsa South District Assembly, and formally presented a petition to the District Chief Executive (DCE) for onward submission to the President.
The presentation of the petition formed part of their campaign to mark the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, aimed at breaking the silence, raising awareness, and combating the stigma surrounding menstruation.
The participating schools included Girls Model Junior High School, St. Peter and Paul Basic School, English and Arabic Basic School, and the Preparatory Basic School.
The petition, read by Miss Nadia Ahmed of the Girls Model Junior High School, commended government for the introduction of the Free Sanitary Pad Policy, describing it as a step in the right direction toward improving menstrual hygiene and promoting gender equality in education.
However, they called for clarification and transparency regarding the funding, implementation, and monitoring of the initiative.
The students requested specific information on the source of funding for the policy and whether it would be drawn from the national budget, international partners, or other mechanisms. They also sought assurances regarding the sustainability of the policy over time.
On eligibility, the petitioners inquired whether the policy would benefit only school-going girls or also include out-of-school girls and other vulnerable women, the clear criteria to determine who qualifies for support.
On duration and frequency of distribution, the students requested information on whether the provision of the sanitary pads would be monthly, termly, or otherwise, and whether the policy had put in place monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure transparency, equity, and efficiency in the distribution.
They called for the involvement of key stakeholders, including civil society organizations, school authorities, healthcare workers, and community leaders, in the implementation process.
Receiving the petition, Ms Anne Musah, the Builsa South DCE, commended the students for their zeal in advocating for welfare of the girl child and assured them that their concerns would be forwarded to the President.
She, however, indicated that the implementation of the policy had started and beneficiaries in the district will soon have their share, as the President was committed to ensuring that no student stays out of school because of lack of access to hygiene products.
Ms Valeria Abakisi, the District Manager for the One Million Smiles Project, Afrikids Ghana, lauded the initiative, emphasising that one of the major contributory factors to absenteeism among adolescent girls was the lack of access to sanitary products.
“Under the One Million Smiles Project, Afrikids is helping these students to make their own reusable sanitary pads, and if the Free Sanitary Pad Policy is implemented, it would complement these efforts and take the burden off parents and we as civil society organizations will channel our resources toward the education aspect on how they could use and manage it,” she added.
Ms Rubama Yahaya, Health Promotion Officer and the District Adolescent Health Coordinator, said except for benevolent organizations like Afrikids Ghana, the Queen Mother of Fumbisi, and herself, who often supported the girls with sanitary pads, there was no laid-down policy supporting girls, therefore implementation of the policy was in the right direction.
GNA
Edited by Fatima Anafu-Astanga/Benjamin Mensah