By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey, GNA
Accra, May 28, GNA – Every month, thousands of adolescent girls across Ghana face challenges managing menstruation safely and with dignity, disrupting their education, confidence and health.
For many girls, menstruation is not only a biological experience but also a source of anxiety caused by inadequate toilets, lack of water, cultural stigma, and the high cost of sanitary products.
A 2025 report published in BMJ Global Health, titled: “The Red Thread: Stakeholder Perspectives on Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Ghana,” revealed that cultural taboos, poor menstrual health education, inadequate facilities and financial hardship remained major barriers to effective menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in the country.
The report found that many girls still lacked proper understanding of menstruation before experiencing their first period, leaving them frightened, confused and ashamed.
Researchers said persistent myths and social restrictions surrounding menstruation continued to silence discussions about periods, particularly in homes and schools, making it difficult for girls to seek support.
The findings also showed that financial constraints force some girls to resort to unsafe alternatives such as old cloth, tissue paper and rags because disposable sanitary pads remain unaffordable for many low-income families.
Health experts warn that prolonged use of unclean absorbent materials can expose girls to urinary tract infections and other reproductive health complications.
The report estimated that about 95,000 Ghanaian girls miss school during menstruation because of inadequate menstrual support systems.
Across many schools, girls continue to face difficult conditions during their periods. Some schools lack separate toilets for girls, clean water, soap, changing rooms, and sanitary disposal bins.
Others endure long school hours without changing sanitary pads because private facilities are unavailable.
According to figures cited by UNICEF, nearly 1.9 million children in Ghana still lacked access to water facilities in schools, while another 1.8 million lacked access to toilet facilities.
UNICEF said the situation disproportionately affected adolescent girls, especially those in rural and low-income communities.
“Menstrual health is a matter of fundamental human rights, dignity and economic opportunity,” UNICEF said, as Ghana marked Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026 on the theme: “Together for a Period-Friendly Ghana.”
While welcoming the Government’s Free Sanitary Pads Initiative, UNICEF stressed the need for stronger investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure to sustain progress.
The initiative seeks to improve access to sanitary products for schoolgirls nationwide as part of efforts to reduce absenteeism and promote menstrual dignity.
The BMJ Global Health report recommended comprehensive menstrual health education programmes in schools that actively involved both girls and boys to help break stigma and encourage open conversations about menstruation.
It also called for greater involvement of parents, teachers, religious leaders and traditional authorities to help dismantle harmful cultural beliefs and support adolescent girls.
The report further recommended expanding gender-responsive WASH facilities in schools, including private toilets, changing rooms and proper waste disposal systems.
Meanwhile, local innovations are beginning to offer alternative solutions to period poverty.
Social enterprises such as Kodu Technology and AfriPride are producing biodegradable sanitary pads from agricultural waste, including banana and plantain fibres, to lower production costs and improve access in rural communities.
Health professionals say menstrual hygiene management goes beyond access to sanitary pads alone.
It includes changing sanitary pads every four to six hours, washing hands before and after changing pads, cleaning the genital area with water, and safely disposing of used sanitary materials.
Medical experts also caution against prolonged use of damp or unclean absorbent materials because they increase the risk of infections and discomfort.
Education experts say improving menstrual health is critical to achieving gender equality in education because no girl should have to choose between attending school and managing her period safely.
Stakeholders are therefore calling for stronger collaboration among government agencies, schools, development partners, communities and families to ensure that menstruation no longer becomes a barrier to education and dignity for Ghanaian girls.
As Ghana joins the global observance of Menstrual Hygiene Day, UNICEF says the country has made important policy gains, but real progress will depend on whether every girl, regardless of location or income level, can menstruate safely, confidently and without shame.
GNA
Reporter: Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Email: [email protected]