Girls ask government to provide free sanitary pads

What you need to know:

Solution. The girls say this will reduce on the rate of their school drop-out due to menstruation.

Mayuge.

Government should provide free sanitary pads to all school-going girls in the country in order to reduce the rate of school drop-outs. This call was made by girl pupils from Mayuge District.
Speaking at the Advocacy for Better Health public dialogues held in different sub-counties of Mayuge last week, the girls argued that with the availability of sanitary pads in schools, missing classes as a result of a menstrual cycle will be something of the past.

“Most of our parents cannot afford those pads, so staying away from school becomes the easier option for menstruating girls,” Rose Namuluta, a Primary Six pupil at Bwiwula Primary School in Imanyiro Sub-county, said on behalf of fellow girls. She added: “If government takes up the responsibility of providing sanitary pads free of charge, it would have demonstrated to us that it cares deeply about girls’ education.”

Dr Charles Nabangi, who represented the district health officer, Mr Edward Naguyo, said the issues raised by the girls will be presented to the concerned authorities for discussion.

Ms Suzan Namuganza, a teacher at one of the primary schools in the district, urged the district authorities to take the girls’ concerns urgently as they impact on the education of the girl-child.

President’s promise
During presidential campaigns in November last year, President Museveni promised that beginning the next financial year, girls in a UPE-funded school were going to be given free sanitary pads.