World Vision Ghana has on Thursday, 14th July, 2022 commemorated this year’s Menstrual hygiene day at Damongo in the West Gonja Municipality of the savannah region.
In a welcome, Mrs Rita Akayisung on behalf of the Savelugu cluster programmes manager explained that, Menstrual Hygiene management among the girl child remains an important component of World Vision’s intervention aimed at promoting the health and wellbeing of the girl child adding that, the intervention seeks to equip the girl child with the requisite knowledge on hygiene practices which impacts their lives.
She said, Research available to them shows that children during Menstrual period at the rural areas sometimes find it difficult to relate with their peers during menstrual period thereby leading to their absence from school hence the need for communities and stakeholders to be constantly engaged by way of sensitization on various platforms such as the menstrual hygiene commemoration day.
Madam Rita Akatisung noted that this year, World Vision Ghana in partnership with it’s key stakeholders and partners such as the adolescent youth, traditional leaders, the West Gonja Municipal Assembly, SWIDA, GHS and GES and the Environmental Health Unit commemorates the day alongside pupils and students across the West Gonja municipality on the theme; “Translating Increased Attention for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) into Measureable Action and Investment.”
She further explained that, 28th May is set aside for Menstrual Hygiene Day which calls for the need to step up action and investment in menstrual health and hygiene.
She indicated that, over 80 million people globally are displaced by humanitarian crisis most of whom are women and girls of reproductive age who need to manage their menstruation but are usually characterized by challenges that has to do with dignity, privacy and safety but assured that women and adolescent girls can manage their monthly menstruation safely, hygienically in privacy and without shame when holistic response to menstrual hygiene management are met.
Madam Rita urged stakeholders to adhere to the few actions outlined as step ups towards the effective management of Menstrual Hygiene which includes;
1 step up action on investments into infrastructure will protect the dignity of the adolescent girl of reproductive age, especially in schools and public places. a.WASH facilities designs with secured and safe changing rooms very key in our school and public facilities.
- Step up action to get Fathers and boys supporting our girls on MHM issues instead of treating them as taboos.
- Step up action on ease of access to materials and supplies of MHM sanitary wares across the nook and cranny of this country.
- Step up action on effective menstrual waste management system.
- Step up action on the inter-sectoral and holistic approach with all stakeholders including GHS, GES, INGOs, WASH Fratenity, among others.
The Savannah Regional Director of education in a speech read on her behalf by Mr. Iddisah Seidu said she was happy that world vision Ghana has stepped in to sensitize young girls on menstrual hygiene management and to also showcase the preparations of re-usable sanitary pads.
She said, many girls have absented themselves from school anytime they are menstruating because sometimes they are not able to afford the single use sanitary pads which effects their performance in school negatively.
She noted that, It is refreshing that such an event has been put in place to help improve school attendance and ultimately increase performance of the girl child.
She urged all stakeholders to take up the challenge to ensure that this dream of promoting menstrual hygiene management is met.
Several sanitary pads were distributed to school girls of going age and other adolescent girls present at the event.
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