Sunday, May 28, 2023 marked world menstrual hygiene day. Mensuration/Period refers to the regular discharge of blood from the uterine lining of females through the vagina. Simply referred to as a natural cleaning process in females.

Menstruation starts when young girls start developing breast often from 9 to 15years depending on the unique physiology of the young girl. To ensure good health and wellbeing of girls during this natural process, the proper use of menstrual products is key to safeguarding girls from infection. Also, knowledge
on menstrual cycle is important in preventing unplanned pregnancy.

As part of the May 28, 2023 Menstrual Hygiene Day Awareness creation, Health Education, Research and Policy organisation (HERPol Africa) a non-governmental organisation based in Tamale visited Zangbalun Junior High School to educate adolescent girls in our communities on the importance of knowing about their menstrual cycle and menstrual hygiene, the different types of sanitary pads and how to use them through practical demonstration.

The adolescents’ girls were taking through the use and maintenance of Eco-friendly sanitary pads, safe and eco-friendly disposal of used sanitary pads to reduce its impact on the climate.

Considering that menstruation is a natural process instead of a choice or luxury, it must be a natural or moral right to support females especially young girls undergoing this natural process.

HERPol Africa calls on the Ghanaian government and other governments to remove all the unfair taxes on menstrual sanitary products, especially pads.

Also, to protect the climate, HERPol calls for policies to be in place to ensure that all manufactured or imported Sanitary products must be biodegradable.

HERPol calls for the inclusion of sanitary pads in the first aid kits/boxes in schools and workplaces, especially in schools where young girls would have universal right and free access to pads to address a natural process.

Therefore, HERPol would like to call on the UN, WHO, UNICEF, governments, and all relevant bodies to make menstrual pads a part of first aid kit to ensure its accessibility among girls.

Menstruation is a natural process and must be a right for every young girl to have free and universal access to sanitary pads to support them.