In 2013, government, on top of several promises from different politicians, announced a grand programme that would see primary school-going adolescents get free sanitary pads.
When no action was taken to fulfill the pledge, speaking on behalf of hundreds of stranded girls across Uganda, 1,200 girls from Tororo schools petitioned Parliament over the same matter in July 2015.
In their petition to Rebecca Kadaga, the Speaker of Parliament, these girls said “the agony they go through during menstruation periods opens them up to ridicule and bullying from boys, adding that the fear of staining one’s clothes and the shame they endure ‘when it happens’ affects their self-esteem and confidence, forcing many of them to opt out of class or sports activities.”
They asked government, through the ministry of Education to increases funding for menstrual health management in all schools across the country. They have also demanded that painkillers be distributed in schools.
Research by Build Africa, a non-governmental organization that deals in Education claims that immediately their menstrual period shows face, more than 29.7% of Ugandan girls in primary schools skip school.
The nightmare these girls face is just not about to end, following the recent statement by education minister Ms Janet Museveni.
Ms Janet Museveni told Parliament’s Education Committee on Tuesday that government will not be able to provide the sanitary pads – despite its earlier pledge.
“I want you all to understand that we have not got the funding for this in our budget yet,” Ms Museveni informed the MPs, as quoted by the Daily Monitor. “We [government] were hoping that if we can get the funds, we could do part of it.”
Ms Museveni revealed that funds available are going towards the wages of the teachers and other staff across the country.
As Action aid, an NGO training mums in communities to make reusable, low-cost sanitary towels for the poorest girls reports, periods are a natural process that are a part of nearly every girl’s life.
“But without access to toilets or sanitary products at school, girls’ lives are put on hold during their period, as they have little choice but to stay at home. This has a huge impact on girls’ education.”
cnakalungi@ugchristiannews.com
