By Arnest Tumwesige and Phillip Kica
Gulu : A silent revolution is happening in the isolated communities of the Acholi sub-region in northern Uganda. Long suppressed by societal taboos and restricted access to essential services, young women and girls are rising up to demand improved care for their menstrual health.
By dispelling the long-standing stigma surrounding this crucial facet of female biology, this emerging movement hopes to enable a new generation of women to take control of their reproductive health.
The situation is made worse by high levels of poverty because a pad can cost anywhere between 3,000 and 9,000 shillings, which in some places might partially pay a daughter’s education expenses.
Because girls encounter needless obstacles that impede their ability to further their education and general well-being, this inequality calls into question the fundamental objective of guaranteeing equal opportunity for all. Menstrual health efforts must be given top priority by governments and stakeholders since they are essential to women’s rights and empowerment.
In this historically conservative region of the nation, talking about menstruation has been practically taboo for decades. When they are on their period, schoolgirls frequently skip class because they cannot buy or obtain the right sanitary goods.
The Her Worth Foundation was established three years ago by Monica Prudence Apiyo, a girl child activist in Gulu City, and her like-minded colleagues in response to the terrible circumstances they witnessed young girls and women going through, which greatly increased the number of school dropouts because the majority of them could not afford sanitary pads.
“A lack of sanitary pads has contributed to the pregnancy of many girls because some of them approach men in order to obtain necessities like pads and become pregnant as a result of the man’s subsequent demands for payment,” she cited.
Apiyo stated that although many organizations teach young girls how to make reusable pads, they are not very comfortable, which prompted their idea to start making a reusable pad that is easy to wash, comfortable, and has clearly labeled user information. The foundation is currently involved in an innovative venture of producing reusable pads that can last up to two years, safe, and eco-friendly.
She went on to say that in addition to making sanitary products for free, they also sell some of them to raise money to continue their project.
Light at the end of the tunnel,
Despite this, many turned to utilizing makeshift, dangerous materials, endangering their health and self-respect. However, a network of regional activists and organizations is currently striving to alter the story by offering free menstruation supplies, holding educational seminars, and questioning social norms that have long suppressed the autonomy of young women.
Rafael Okot Aboga, the Her Worth Foundation’s program coordinator, disclosed that the reason behind their call for action was the high rate of adolescent pregnancies in the community and schools, which was caused by the majority of them not having access to menstrual products.
“In order to prevent them from developing the idea of requesting money from men, which would expose them to sexual risk, we want to provide them for free in the community and in schools,” he continued.
According to Okot, the program has helped more than 2,000 young girls in the districts of Pader, Agago, Gulu, Amuru, and Gulu City who are enrolled in school.
Grow Together Project Coordinator and Communications Officer Faith Nabunya of the Center for Health and Human Rights (CEHURD) revealed that as part of their project-related program, they are targeting the Teso and Karamoja region with awareness-building and menstrual hygiene services through their partner on the ground.
According to her, they are using the partners’ local community conversations to inform a national advocacy that would then make it simple to hold the responsible ministry and duty bearer accountable.
Menstrual hygiene is always sponsored by the commercial sector, non-governmental organizations, and development partners, according to Nabunya. She believes that this narrative needs to shift and that the government should start implementing more sustainable programs rather than relying on donor funding.
She made an appeal, saying, “I think the government and public agencies need to take full responsibility because these projects have a time line and the girls would get back to default setting when they end.”
Menstrual hygiene for women and girls should be given priority as a crucial component of reproductive health, according to expert in reproductive health Dr. Joseph Magero.
According to him, the illness not only caused physical discomfort but also anxiety and mental disruption, particularly in early adolescence and school-age children.
According to a UNESCO research, inequality and stigma cause about 10% of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa to miss school when they are menstruating. Every school term, a girl who is menstruating loses 13 learning days in school on average. In addition, with the onset of menstruation, an estimated 23% of teenage females between the ages of 12 and 18 discontinue their education.
Girls in Uganda deal with a variety of difficulties when it comes to managing their menstrual health. The urgent need for assistance is shown by alarming figures about the school dropout rates among girls who are menstruating. One of the biggest obstacles preventing many girls from completing their education because of period-related difficulties is the lack of menstrual hygiene products in schools.
Poor menstrual hygiene practices may lead to bacterial vaginosis (BV) vulvovaginal candidiasis
(VVC), both of which have other health consequences. Provision of sanitary products to girls and young women may decrease the incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections.
