The Government has been urged to consider collaborating with Private sector under the Public Private Partnership arrangement to ensure it addresses the high prices of menstrual hygiene management commodities.
This comes following a story that went viral showing some young girls from eastern region, in particular Busoga sub region using Soil and other inappropriate materials to manage their menstrual periods.
Non-Government Organizations including Together alive health initiatives (TAHI), Raising teenagers Uganda, Women Probono Initiatives, Joy for children among others say though some of these young girls lack information about managing their periods, Poverty among the communities they live in calls for the government interventions to subsidize these commodities.
Charles Tumwebaze the he team leader Together alive health initiatives
Charles Tumwebaze the team leader at Together alive health initiatives-TAHI, says that the government must look all means to ensure prices of these commodities come down as this will increase access of these commodities among vulnerable young girls.
”The government can also intervene by reduce the taxes levied on sanitary towels used by girls and women during their menstrual period”. He added.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference held at TAHI offices in Kulambiro, Mr. Tumwebaze has also noted that menstrual health and hygiene are fundamental to achieving gender equality and ensuring the health and success of Ugandan girls and women.
‘’The undivided attention of our society and government is necessary to foster an environment where menstrual health is not a barrier to any individual’s potential. Therefore, we call on all stakeholders to collaborate and affirm our collective responsibility in actualizing the right to sanitary menstrual management for all’’. He added.
In the same press conference, Ms. Lorna Nagawa, a Legal officer at Women’s Probono Initiative attributed the increasing costs of sanitary pads to taxes levied on the manufacturers and importers.
She noted that it is high time that all civil society organization in menstrual health and hygiene space petition the parliament to reduce these taxes.
On her part, the Executive Director of WoMena Uganda Ms Shamirah Nakalema, asked the government to adequately invest reusable menstrual products adding that they are not only sustainable but also friendly to the environment.
She added that however much the government would want to give out the disposable pads, it is not sustainable.
In her remarks Ms. Hope Nankunda, the Executive Director of Raising Teenagers Uganda, asked schools to utilize the capitation grant of UGX 14,000 per pupil per annum to address MHH issues, including purchasing emergency pads.
Ms. Nankunda however noted that because this allocation is insufficient considering the critical nature of menstrual health and hygiene for girls in schools. it is imperative to establish a more sustainable strategy by allocating a specific budget dedicated to MHH for both in-school and out-of-school girls.
According to her, this can be effectively achieved through the implementation of the MHH Policy, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all MHH needs for girls and women.
The 2020 study by the Ministry of Education and Sports revealed that a number of women and girls in Uganda undergo challenges to access menstrual products and manage their periods.
Out of the 152 girls interviewed, 43 of them reported having emergency pads at school while 109 (71 percent) of the girls had none in their schools.
The same study established that the increase in school absenteeism among girls is partly attributed to starting their period.
More than half of girls that enroll in primary one drops out before sitting their Primary Leaving Examinations mainly because of menstrual challenges such as inability to afford sanitary products such as pads, – 77 percent of girls miss 2 – 3 days of school due to menstrual-related challenges.
Ms Miriam Mutesi, executive Director of Youth Chapter of Uganda noted that as organizations in menstrual health and hygiene space thier deliberate issue here is to have an output within that policy that is going to be combined by the Ministry of Health so that they have a portion on menstrual health that is directly towards access to information and other services.
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