Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed globally on May 28, is dedicated to raising awareness about menstrual health and hygiene, promoting good practices, and dispelling myths and misconceptions surrounding menstruation.

In collaboration with the Young Urban Women’s Movement, ActionAid Ghana organised the event with women and girls in the area to emphasise the importance of access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation facilities.

This year’s celebration was held on the theme: "Together for a Period-Friendly World”.

Mrs Beatrice Biije, a Programmes Officer at ActionAid Ghana, who delivered a speech at the event to commemorate the celebration, highlighted the significance of the day.

She explained that the event drew attention to the challenges women and girls faced in managing their menstrual cycles, particularly in resource-limited settings, and underscored the need for access to menstrual products, education, and proper sanitation. She said, “This day is particularly important to ActionAid Ghana because it aligns with our Country Strategy Paper VII focus areas 2.3, which seeks to promote access to sexual and reproductive health rights and focus area 3.4, which seeks to promote access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services.”

Mrs Biije emphasised the need to uphold the rights of women and girls to live stigma-free lives, free from the taboos and shame often associated with menstruation.

She expressed concern over limited access to sanitary facilities, saying “There are significant gaps in infrastructure that prevent women and girls from managing menstruation safely and with dignity.”

She added that only two in five schools globally offered menstrual health education, and only one in three had appropriate disposal facilities for menstrual waste.

She said recent data showed an average of 16 per cent school absenteeism due to menstruation with some studies in Sub-Saharan Africa reporting rates as high as 31%.

Mrs Biije called for increased support to raise awareness and provide sanitary pads and products for under-resourced women and girls.

She said, “Let us all play a role in breaking the taboos and stigma surrounding menstruation. It is a natural biological process experienced by women and girls at various stages of life.”

She appealed to partners, donors, and individuals to support advocacy efforts for improved sanitary facilities and menstrual health education.

Mrs Ismatu Yakubu, Treasurer of the Young Urban Women’s Movement, educated participants on menstrual health and hygiene and the effective use of menstrual products.

She encouraged men to support women and girls in managing menstrual health fostering a more inclusive, healthy, and productive community.

To climax the celebration, ActionAid Ghana distributed sanitary products and other essential items to participants.