By Solomon Gumah
Kumbungu (N/R), Sept 18, GNA – The Female Empowerment and Advocacy for Development (FEAD Ghana), a non-government organisation (NGO), has distributed eco-friendly reusable sanitary pads to 110 schoolgirls in the Kumbungu District to help address period poverty and promote menstrual hygiene.
The beneficiaries were drawn from six schools in the district, namely Kumbungu Senior High School, Kumbungu D/A Junior High School (JHS), Nibrasiat JHS, Zangbalung JHS, Gbullung JHS and Bognayili JHS.
Hajia Hikmat Baba Dua, the Executive Director of FEAD Ghana said the gesture formed part of activities marking this year’s symposium on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and substance abuse for adolescents in the district.
The symposium, held at Kumbungu under the theme: “Informed Choices, Healthy Futures: Navigating Reproductive Health and Substance Abuse” brought together more than 150 students from the six schools.
Organised by the FEAD Ghana under the Litlead+ project with funding support from the KGL Foundation, the symposium provided a platform for students to interact with health professionals, educators, youth mentors, the Narcotics Control Commission and the Ghana AIDS Commission on issues affecting their health, wellbeing and education.
Topics discussed included puberty, menstrual hygiene management, teenage pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, and the dangers associated with drug and substance abuse among adolescents.
Hajia Baba Dua said period poverty remained a major barrier to girls’ education and empowerment, particularly among those in rural and underserved communities.
She said some girls were unable to attend school or participate fully in social and educational activities during menstruation because they could not afford or access appropriate menstrual hygiene products.
She said the situation could negatively affect girls’ academic performance, confidence and participation in community life if not addressed through sustained interventions.
Hajia Baba Dua said the decision to distribute reusable sanitary pads was deliberate explaining that the products would provide beneficiaries with a sustainable menstrual hygiene solution while reducing environmental challenges associated with the disposal of single-use sanitary products.
She said reusable pads could also help reduce the financial burden on families by providing girls with menstrual protection that could be used repeatedly when properly washed and maintained.
She said: “As an advocate against period poverty, I believe that every girl should have access to safe and affordable menstrual products so that menstruation does not become a reason for her to miss school or withdraw from activities.”
Hajia Baba Dua called on the government, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to intensify efforts to address period poverty among girls and women across the country.
She urged the government to collaborate with local enterprises producing eco-friendly menstrual products to expand access to affordable sanitary products.
She also called for measures to reduce taxes and levies on sanitary products to make them more affordable and accessible to girls and women particularly those from low-income households.
She emphasised that addressing period poverty required more than the distribution of sanitary products stressing need for sustained education on menstrual hygiene, puberty and reproductive health.
She encouraged parents, schools and communities to create supportive environments where girls could openly discuss menstruation and other reproductive health concerns without fear, shame or stigma.
Miss Nurudeen Latifa, a student of Kumbungu D/A JHS and one of the beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to the FEAD Ghana for supporting them with reusable sanitary pads.
She said the intervention would help them manage their menstrual periods with greater confidence and enable them to remain focused on their education.
GNA
Edited by Albert Futukpor/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Solomon Gumah
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]