Girls Shall Grow, an Obuasi based NGO has appealed to Government to consider supporting local firms to venture into the production of sanitary pads.
According to the organisation, this will enhance access to sanitary pads especially in the rural areas.
Mrs. Louisa Amoah made this call when Girls Shall Grow partnered the Education and Health Directorates in Obuasi to sensitise school girls in Obuasi on Menstrual Hygiene to observe this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
“Considering the high cost of sanitary pads, it becomes difficult for children from poor homes to access them. As a result some resort to the use of alternatives such as rags, paper, and other materials
To enhance accessibility and affordability for sanitary pads, just as it’s been done for One District One Factory, Government can partner the private sector to go into the production of sanitary products for women.
This will enhance menstrual hygiene and contribute to reducing absenteeism during menstruation, ” Mrs. Louisa Amoah said.
The organisation distributed free sanitary pads to all 350 participants during the event.
According to Mrs. Louisa Amoah, “Ghanaians need more education on menstruation to reduce the stigma and misconception associated with it.”
“As an organisation we have brought health professionals on board to educate girls on the need to observe menstrual hygiene,” she added.
The Obuasi Municipal Education Director, George Alfred Koomson also bemoaned the lack of toilet facilities in some basic schools in the Municipality.
The Director of Education said, “the absence of this basic facility prevents most girls from coming to school during the period of menstruation”.
He called on parents and other bodies to support the Local Assembly to build toilet facilities in all basic schools in the Municipality.
The Education Directorate has intensified education in schools for both boys and girls to put an end to the misconceptions about menstruation.
Margaret Yaa Manu, the Municipal Health Director, the Resource person for the program sensitized the girls from the 26 selected schools in Obuasi on safe menstruation.
She said, “girls should see menstruation as a natural bodily process. Girls must not be stigmatised or discriminated against when they go through the process”.
Girls Shall Grow started in February 2018 at Obuasi, in the Ashanti region with the aim to empower girls in the various communities to take up leadership roles and also be responsible women in future.