Menstrual hygiene dominate Day of Girl Child in Homa Bay

Homa Bay marked the International Day of Girl Child as many gender activists called for more sensitisation on menstrual hygiene among adolescents.

The calls came following concerns that some adolescent girls are not familiar with ways of using sanitary towels to keep their menstrual hygiene.

Studies reveal that using unclean pads can lead to fungal infections, reproductive tract infections, and urinary infections and even make one vulnerable to infertility.

Gender advocates from Chief Tiberius Ajwang Foundation said their assessments reveal that more emphasis has been put on the distribution of pads without how appropriately they should be used.

The organization is calling for a changed approach as some adolescent girls still do not know how to correctly use the towels to keep clean during their menses.

The foundation mentors Vidah Achieng, Violet Antonio and psychologist Pauline Achieng said a majority of the adolescents and school-going girls are not aware of how to keep clean during menses.

Achieng argued that this is attributed to socio-cultural beliefs in the society.

“Most girls are not aware of what is happening to them at adolescent stages. There is a need for concerned bodies to step up sensitization on our girls to use towels appropriately,” Achieng said.

Speaking when they engaged girls on a sensitization programme at Waware mixed secondary school in Rusinga, Suba North constituency, Achieng, who is a nurse by profession, said infections associated with poor menstrual hygiene can lead to discomfort and force school children to suspend lessons.  

Most adolescent girls from rural areas do not know how to use sanitary towels which compromises their hygiene.

“Some have ended up being discriminated against or ashamed for what they are going through,” she said.

The foundation is distributing sanitary towels to teenage girls from vulnerable families.

This is to prevent cases of teen pregnancies as some teenage girls are said to be defiled when sex pests take advantage of their vulnerability.

“We’re calling for more protection of girls to enable them to achieve their education dreams,” she added.

Psychologists said they are mentoring the girls to overcome social challenges associated with stress and behaviours that interfere with the concentration of young girls during their studies.

“We aim to see students focused on their studies. Some people prey on vulnerable girls but we want the vice to stop," she said. 

Antonio said their talks with the girls include refraining from sex at an early age, avoiding early marriages, benefits of education and general sex education.

The foundation coordinator Pacific Loch said their programme is also meant to reduce HIV infection among adolescents.

Some of the schools they have visited in the past weeks include Ogongo, Waware, Kombe, Nyamasare, and Usungu among others.

“We’re also doing follow-up activities to girls to ensure necessary assistance,” Loch said. 

Meanwhile, Echo Network Africa Chief Executive Officer Jenipher Riria said girls and women have equal rights and that they deserve to live a dignified life as all human beings should.

She however expressed concern that this is not always the case.

“Girls are still being subjected to painful and dehumanizing cultural practices such as FGM,” Riria said.

She said women are still struggling to access clean water and affordable health care, and in fact, girls and women are still dying from childbirth.

Ritia said more girls are also confronted by the triple threat of HIV and other STDs, teenage pregnancies, and gender-based violence.

“I urge all of us to do what we can in our individual and collective capacities to change the lives of our girls for the better. We must commit to transform the lives of all girls in Africa,” she said.