Chinsali Acting District Commissioner (DC) Francis Mbati has called for strengthened awareness on menstrual hygiene in schools in the district.
Mr Mbati said managing menstrual hygiene education in schools should be widespread among learners to ensure the girl child adapts to good menstrual hygiene practices.
Speaking during the first-ever commemorations of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day in Chinsali, Mr Mbati said the government remains committed to providing sanitary pads in all education facilities in the district.
He said menstrual health is a global issue that needs to be managed with comfort and dignity by schools, adding that targeted policies that the Government has developed seek to eliminate period poverty in which low-income women and girls struggle to access menstrual products.
“As District Administration, we believe in the importance of getting women and girls involved in water and sanitation management when it comes to challenging social norms,” he said.
He further emphasised the importance of women groups engaging influential stakeholders in creating crucial awareness about menstrual hygiene in various communities besides schools.
And District Senior Education Standards Officer, Elizabeth Chitamombo, who represented the Provincial Education Officer Alexander Mulenga, commended the Government for paying particular attention to the well-being of girls in school through the provision of sanitary pads.
She stated that the Ministry of Education has continued to partner with other cooperating partners in ensuring that the girl child is not stigmatised during their menstruation periods.
“I further wish to assure you that we will continue to remind our learners to always ensure that they adhere to all the environmental guidelines with regards to good menstrual hygiene practices,” she added.
Meanwhile, Kapwepwe Day Secondary School pupils’ representative Elizabeth Mulenga advised her fellow girls to report any stigma they experience during their menstruation periods.
The 2024 World Menstrual Hygiene Day was commemorated today under the theme, “In a period-friendly world, the stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation are history.”
