By Hannah Awadzi
Ho, June 1, GNA – The Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities (VOWAC Ghana), has called on the Government to invest in long-term menstrual health systems in schools, emphasising that inclusive menstrual hygiene is a fundamental right and not charity.
Ms Patience Atipoka Atuah, Programmes Manager of VOWAC Ghana, made the call at an event to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day for girls with disabilities, held at the Volta School for the Deaf and the Gbi Special School.
She said every girl with a disability had the right to education, health, privacy, safety, and full participation in school and community life.
“When a girl is forced to stay home because she has no sanitary materials, no accessible washroom, no trusted support, or no information presented in a way she can understand, then we are not merely witnessing a gap in service; we are witnessing a failure of justice,” Ms Atuah said.
She announced that VOWAC had launched a project in May 2026 to support girls with disabilities through the provision of “dignity kits.”
Ms Atuah noted that the organisation was also establishing dignity kit banks in segregated schools across the country to ensure menstrual products were not distributed as a one-time gesture, but provided as a reliable, accessible, and sustainable support system.
She explained that a dignity kit bank was more than a storage facility for sanitary supplies.
“It is a statement that a girl’s body is not a barrier to learning. It is a promise that when her period comes unexpectedly, support will already be available,” she said.
Ms Atuah also emphasised the need for disability-inclusive menstrual hygiene education, delivered through accessible formats such as simple language, braille, and sign language, as well as tailored support for girls with intellectual, hearing, visual, and physical disabilities.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Hannah Awadzi
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