Special Aide to John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has announced that the free sanitary pad policy promised by the NDC flagbearer will first target girls in public Junior High Schools (JHS) and then extend to Senior High Schools (SHS).
Mr. Mahama made this pledge during the presentation of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 manifesto.
Madam Mogtari explained that, many girls begin menstruating during their JHS years, making it crucial to start the initiative at that level.
The program will then expand to include girls in SHS as the distribution progresses.
In an interview on Adom TV, Madam Mogtari expressed concern over the challenges faced by female students due to the lack of access to sanitary pads.
These challenges include early pregnancies, school dropouts, and even child abuse, often arising from parents’ inability to afford sanitary products.
“We are beginning with junior high school students because most female students begin their menstrual cycle there before attending senior high school,” Madam Mogtari stated.
She emphasized the focus on public schools, noting that parents of private school students are more likely to afford sanitary pads.
Joyce Bawah also highlighted a troubling situation revealed by an international investigation, where a woman in the Northern region was exploiting young girls in exchange for providing them with sanitary pads.
When asked if the policy would extend to tertiary students, she responded that they would consider it after addressing the needs of JHS and SHS students.
Alternatively, they might look into reducing taxes to increase the affordability of sanitary pads.
Source: Ayisha Akua Ibrahim
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