No girl should miss class because of menstruation- Menstrual Hygiene Day

GESS joins the world to celebrate the Menstrual Hygiene Day. Annually, this day is celebrated to advocate, break taboos, and raise awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene management for women and girls.

While menstruation is accepted amongst some communities in South Sudan, it is still considered as a taboo in others. It is not spoken about openly, which leads to misinformation and discriminatory practices.

“Usually, when I am on my period, I will tell my elder sister because she can share with me her pads. I feel shy to ask my dad for money to buy (sanitary) pads because I don’t know how he’ll react”, Esther, Senior 2 learner.

Schoolgirls are amongst the most affected, often missing classes and study time due to period poverty. Period poverty refers to a lack of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate education.

GESS provides Cash Transfers directly to schoolgirls in Primary 5 to Secondary 4 classes across South Sudan for them to buy education-enabling items. From testimonies we have received, we have learnt that many girls decide to purchase sanitary towels with their Cash Transfer. “The Cash Transfer I used to receive from GESS helped me a lot, because I used to feel shy to ask money from my parents. When I received the money from GESS, I usually bought enough pads to take me for the whole term so that I don’t miss classes”, Grace, Senior 4 graduate and former GESS beneficiary.

Grace says menstruation is still one of the reasons why girls miss out on school time and sometimes drop out: “I remember one day a girl stained her uniform with blood. The boys in the class started teasing her and calling her names even after her period ended, she would feel bad about it. The teachers gave a serious warning that whoever teased that girl again will be punished and that is when they stopped. If they continued teasing her, maybe she would end up dropping out of school”.

Through the GESS Capitation Grants which are given to schools, some schools have used the money to ensure there are sanitary facilities at the schools for when the girls need them while at school. Rajaf Centre for the Blind, a primary school in Juba is one school which has used it’s Capitation Grant to purchase sanitary items for girls including bathing basins in the past.

As we celebrate, #WeAreCommitted to break menstrual cycle taboos and ensure no girl misses school time due to menstruation. We call upon all stakeholders to ensure girls are supported in school and in the households to #BleedWithPride. Schools should ensure there are facilities for the school like water, bathrooms, and available sanitary towels for the girls.

Categorised in: Uncategorised