Kenya: Govt Urged to Ensure Sufficient Sanitary Towel Supply in Schools

Nairobi — The government has been urged to budget for and ensure constant, sufficient supply of sanitary towels in primary and secondary schools countrywide,

Nakuru County Chief Officer, Gender, Social Services and Inclusivity, Gladys Kamuren said there was scarcity of sanitary pads among families especially school going children in the country and thus the need for sufficient free supplies in schools

She added that sanitary towels should be supplied to schools monthly the same way the government supplies books and other learning materials for free and compulsory primary and secondary school education.

She recognised that the duty was allocated to the office of Woman County Representatives under National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NG-AAF) but urged the government to go beyond this because children cannot go to schools without the vital commodities.

Kamuren claimed that lack of sufficient supply of sanitary towels was a major contributor of early pregnancy among teenage girls and school drop-out and social ills.

Speaking at Barina Primary School in Rongai Sub-County during the Menstrual Health Hygiene Day celebration, she added that women in rural areas and informal settlements also needs support.

“Elected women leaders, the MPs, especially woman representatives should spnsor a motion sanctioning the government to supply vital for school going children,” she said.

She said Nakuru County Government in conjunction with Dandelion Africa and Nakuru Rural Water and Sanitation Company (Naruwasco) sanitary pads to teenage girls from five primary schools in Rongai.

“Most parts of Rongai are Arid and Semi Arid, poverty levels are also high and the parents here do not appreciate the fact that sanitary pads are part of girls’ clothing,” she said.

She observed that even parents who knew that the commodities were on the list of basic needs for a girl did not have the financial muscle to buy them,

“Organisations have gathered in schools today to distribute sanitary towels to girls as the world celebratio this day, but what happens when they exhaust today’s supply, the government needs to ensure constant distribution in schools,” she said

She added that gender departments had been trying to support girls but it had been tough because they do not have budgetary allocations for the same.

Kamuren urged President William Ruto to be merciful to the teenagers because of the troubles they were going through and revive the Uhuru-Ruto promise of supplying sanitary pads to all teenage school-going girls.

Dandelion Africa Program Manager, Ruth Nderitu said girls were not transitioning to high school, colleges and universities due to lack of sanitary towels.

“Sanitary towels are a basic need for girls, they cannot go to school during their menstrual period if they do not have them and this has been a big barrier to their education,” she said.

She said Dandelion Africa was working with 55 schools in Baringo, Kajiado, Narok and Nakuru counties to ensure that girls have sufficient supply of sanitary pads.

“The organisation has managed to reduce absenteeism in the schools by simply supplying the commodities which are basic yet a big barrier to girl’s education,” she said.

She said through the Boys for Change, Girls for Leaders club in the respective schools, Dandelion Africa had managed 95 per cent school retention for teenage girls .

“The organisation in working in regions where school drop-out cases among girls are high and we urge other stakeholders to intervene, one school at a time and make a difference,” she said