Justine Lumumba Kasule, the Minister in charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister – OPM, expressed profound apologies to the nation for the government’s failure to fulfill its promise of providing free sanitary pads to girls across the country.
The provision of free sanitary pads was a presidential pledge outlined in the 2016 – 2021 Manifesto of the ruling National Resistance Movement – NRM government, aimed at addressing school dropout rates, promoting dignity, menstrual hygiene, and the well-being of adolescent girls in primary and secondary schools.
Despite being slated for implementation in the Financial Year 2017/2018, the initiative remains unfulfilled, eight years after President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s announcement.
Lumumba acknowledged the collective responsibility for this failure, pointing out that the absence of progress reflects poorly on the 43 percent of women within Museveni’s cabinet. She urged the government to realign its focus on initiatives such as providing free condoms in public toilets to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS while prioritizing the needs of vulnerable girls.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the third exhibition dubbed “Because of Her” held at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on Sunday, Lumumba emphasized the imperative of addressing this issue urgently to empower and uplift girls and women in society.
Patience Poni Ayikoru, an Advocate for Governance and Gender Justice and founder of ‘Femme Talk West Nile’, highlighted their efforts to address the gap by establishing a pads booth in the region, providing free napkins as they await government intervention.
Keisha Patience, co-founder of Because of Her, expanded on their mandate, which includes setting up pad booths in the Kigezi region and offering training to women and girls on making reusable and non-reusable napkins to combat period poverty.
Catherine Kyokunda Donovan, the Commissioner of Legal Services and Border Affairs at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), echoed the urgent need for government intervention in providing sanitary pads to empower girls and women.
Despite government initiatives boasting of women’s empowerment, activists called for concrete action, urging the government to invest in girls to build a sustainable and prosperous society, citing statistics on school dropout rates among menstruating girls.
In April 2020, First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni, the Minister of Education and Sports, disclosed plans for a sanitary pad manufacturing factory to distribute pads at no cost to girls nationwide. However, this plan is yet to materialize.
In Uganda, the lack of supportive infrastructure including clean lavatories, changing rooms, and hygienic sanitary ware exacerbates school dropout rates among girls. Studies show the significant impact of menstrual hygiene on education, with menstruating girls facing challenges leading to absenteeism and dropout rates as high as 23 percent.
The lack of access to sanitary pads is indeed a Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) issue due to several reasons:
- Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM): Access to sanitary pads is essential for maintaining proper menstrual hygiene. Without adequate menstrual hygiene management, individuals, particularly women and girls, are at risk of infections, reproductive health issues, and discomfort during menstruation.
- Health Risks: Using unhygienic alternatives such as cloth rags or leaves in place of sanitary pads can increase the risk of infections like urinary tract infections (UTIs) and reproductive tract infections (RTIs). These infections can lead to more serious health complications if left untreated, impacting individuals’ overall reproductive health.
- Social Stigma and Discrimination: In many cultures, menstruation is still considered taboo, leading to stigma and discrimination against menstruating individuals. Lack of access to sanitary pads can exacerbate this stigma, as individuals may feel ashamed or embarrassed about their menstrual hygiene practices, leading to social exclusion and psychological distress.
- Education Disruption: Girls may miss school during menstruation due to the lack of access to sanitary pads, leading to educational disruptions and potential long-term consequences such as lower educational attainment and reduced economic opportunities.
- Economic Barriers: Sanitary pads can be costly, especially for individuals and families living in poverty. The inability to afford sanitary pads may force individuals to prioritize other basic needs over menstrual hygiene, further exacerbating health risks and perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
Addressing the lack of access to sanitary pads is therefore crucial for promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights, ensuring gender equality, and empowering individuals to lead healthy and dignified lives.