The majority of men in Kilifi do not buy sanitary pads for their daughters or talk to them about sexual health, a meeting was told on Monday.
The men believe such issues should not be discussed with their daughters openly.
This has forced the girls to seek the information from their peers, leading to early sexual activity.
A dialogue meeting at Mnarani club in Kilifi town brought together stakeholders advocating for a change in attitude on female reproductive health.
Fathers were urged to speak to their daughters about reproductive health issues.
The meeting was organised by Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevolkerung, a German international organisation advocating for girls’ rights, to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Participants said outdated beliefs have hurt adolescent girls in Kilifi, often placing them at the risk of teenage pregnancy.
Reports show Kilifi county is leading in cases of teenage pregnancy, girls dropping out of school and gender based violence.
Kilifi County Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation chairperson Witness Tsuma said girls and women aged between 14 and 29 years become mothers because they lack adequate information.
Tsuma said many NGOs help girls already in school, but little is done to reach those in the villages.
She said programmes will soon be rolled out to train men to talk to their girls about menstruation as well as buy them the pads.
