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The government has been urged to take immediate steps to fulfil its promise to eliminate import duties on sanitary pads to improve the health conditions of girls.
Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah, Member of Parliament for Salaga South, who made the call indicated that access to safe and dignified menstruation is a fundamental need for women and girls.
She stressed it is important to therefore ensure every girl can learn, plan and safeguard her own health without experiencing stress, shame or unnecessary barriers to information or supplies during menstruation.
In a statement to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day in Parliament on Friday, Hon. Zuwera Ibrahimah noted that menstrual heal and hygiene have proven to impact significantly on gender equality, empowerment and several other aspects of the lives of girls and women including education, well-being and health.
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According to her, the availability of accurate and timely information, affordable menstrual materials, peer associations are essential to ameliorate the negative effects of menstruation on girls and women.
She averred that globally girls frequently lack access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities and knowledge on Menstruation and disposal mechanism to manage their cycles at school, at home and at the workplace.
She said, “In some cases, this has been a barrier to school attendance and academic performance and in Ghana, 95% of girls sometimes miss school due to menstruation.”
“This completely natural phenomenon has become a major barrier to girls attendance at school due to a lack of facilities, limited access to sanitary pads, misconceptions about menstruation, discomfort and pain, as well as the risk of being teased.”
Ms. Zuwera Ibrahimah lamented the classification of sanitary pads as luxury products with a 20% tax and indicated this contributes to the high prices of the product and makes it difficult for many girls and women in low-income households to afford.
“This has also forced many young girls into sexual relationships for financial assistance. Some young girls in rural areas in Ghana are reportedly exchanging sex for sanitary pads. Many Parents have also failed to provide sanitary pads to their wards,” she added.
The MP stressed that meeting the hygiene needs of all adolescent girls and women in all settings promotes human rights, dignity and public health.
She appealed to the Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo, to therefore pursue the push for scrapping of the luxury tax on pads as pledged recently.
And called on the government to take immediate action to help empower adolescent girls and secure their health and well-being.
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Frontpageghana.com/Ghana
