Lobby asks parliament to increase budget for sanitary pads

Superb Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Nairobi's Kibera area is asking for Parliament to review the budgetary allocation for sanitary pads.

The CBO, together with 13 other rights organisations, is calling for an increase in the finances set aside for sanitary pads allocated to public schools across the country.

In a press statement to commemorate the International day for Menstrual Health Management, Superb said that many young girls would be at great risk if they lack sanitary pads.

"65 per cent of women and girls cannot access sanitary pads and surprisingly, members of parliament slashed the current budget for pads by almost half," they said.

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha confirmed this during the recent release of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.

Magoha said that the budgetary allocation to help the ministry supply sanitary pads to schools had been slashed from Sh470 million to Sh260 million.

"We condemn the decision and challenge Members of Parliament to review and increase the budget allocation," they said.

They said it was time to ensure that all unsafe means of accessing sanitary towels were put to an end as girls resort to all sorts of things to access dignified means of dealing with their periods.

Some girls resort to transactional sex for pads while others have to contend with missing school during their periods.

In the informal settlements, Superb said there is a shortage of water.

The lobby said lack of access to clean water and sanitation makes girls and women end up getting infections which are very dangerous to their health.

"It is now time to ensure that we end all unsafe means of accessing sanitary towels because of the alarming increase in the rate of HIV/AIDS contractions, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, school dropouts, unsafe street abortions which later leads to high maternal deaths," they said.

The National Government under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) is mandated to distribute free sanitary towels nationwide to adolescent girls who are enrolled at public schools.

The Basic Education Fund Act states that these pads and dignity kitties be issued for free.

"However, the sanitary towels do reach the grassroots level. We urge all duty bearers to ensure the full implementation of the existing policies and legal framework so all girls at puberty have access to menstrual products and information," they concluded.