Rural Namibians support free pads
The Rural Parliament has urged the National Council to engage relevant government ministries with the purpose of ensuring that schoolgirls are provided with free sanitary pads.
Rural men and women have come out in support of free sanitary towels for girls who cannot afford sanitary pads, in order to reduce school dropout rates and improve school attendance.
Studies have shown that around one in ten girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their menstrual cycle, which could lead to an average of 50 lost school days per year for girls who can't afford or access sanitary products.
In Namibia the social taboos related to menstruation, and the culture of silence that surrounds it, were on display last year when a female member of parliament asked that a debate on the topic of sanitary pads be dropped because it was embarrassing.
The motion was tabled by DTA president McHenry Venaani, who said it was important to remind those who considered the issue taboo that all matters that required developmental intervention were “the issues of MPs”.
Surprisingly, female MPs were not keen on discussing the matter after Venaani concluded his motivation.
“I am embarrassed to discuss menstruation in Parliament,” said Deputy Speaker Loide Kasingo, who was the first woman to contribute to the debate.
That once again highlighted the misguided and cruel prejudice that forces many girls to stay at home when they are menstruating, especially when they can't afford sanitary pads. Moreover, researchers have shown that several health issues or reproductive infections are potentially triggered by poor menstrual hygiene, when girls are forced to use alternative and unhygienic substances during their periods, including old rags, sand, leaves, and ash.
A motion in this regard was tabled at the conclusion of the 4th Rural Parliament as part of a checklist of issues affecting rural and poor families which were raised during the session last week, concluding with a number of resolutions tabled in order to tackle these challenges.
Rural parliamentarian Selma Shikongo warned that many Namibian schoolgirls who are subjected to “embarrassing and humiliating incidents”, choose to skip school during their menstrual periods, rather than endure teasing and other prejudicial acts. This has restricted and reduced access to education for many girls and increased school dropouts, with long-term impacts on the girl's lives and livelihoods, she argued.
She said costly sanitary pads are often out of reach for poorer communities while some rural areas don't sell sanitary products at all.
Shikongo, representing urban Ondangwa, tabled a motion in which she urged the National Council to “engage relevant government ministries with the purpose of ensuring that schoolgirls are provided with free sanitary pads.”
During a presentation on gender equality, family planning, maternal health and child mortality at the rural parliamentarian session, Advocate Bience Gawanas said she would welcome a move by Namibia to follow in the footsteps of Kenya, which recently announced the free distribution of sanitary towels to young Kenyan girls.
“If we can give free condoms, surely we should be able to give free sanitary towels and make those girls feel that they can stand up and go to school when they are menstruating,” Gawanas said.
She said such a national move would help address the taboo around menstruation, and help girls “feel that it is not wrong and not shameful to menstruate”.
The parliamentarian session, attended by female and male delegates from all 14 regions, was held under the theme 'Parliament Gives a Voice to Rural Women and Men on Sustainable Development Goals'.
The sessions are aimed at providing rural communities with legislative representation to discuss, engage and recommend on crucial developmental issues.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Studies have shown that around one in ten girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their menstrual cycle, which could lead to an average of 50 lost school days per year for girls who can't afford or access sanitary products.
In Namibia the social taboos related to menstruation, and the culture of silence that surrounds it, were on display last year when a female member of parliament asked that a debate on the topic of sanitary pads be dropped because it was embarrassing.
The motion was tabled by DTA president McHenry Venaani, who said it was important to remind those who considered the issue taboo that all matters that required developmental intervention were “the issues of MPs”.
Surprisingly, female MPs were not keen on discussing the matter after Venaani concluded his motivation.
“I am embarrassed to discuss menstruation in Parliament,” said Deputy Speaker Loide Kasingo, who was the first woman to contribute to the debate.
That once again highlighted the misguided and cruel prejudice that forces many girls to stay at home when they are menstruating, especially when they can't afford sanitary pads. Moreover, researchers have shown that several health issues or reproductive infections are potentially triggered by poor menstrual hygiene, when girls are forced to use alternative and unhygienic substances during their periods, including old rags, sand, leaves, and ash.
A motion in this regard was tabled at the conclusion of the 4th Rural Parliament as part of a checklist of issues affecting rural and poor families which were raised during the session last week, concluding with a number of resolutions tabled in order to tackle these challenges.
Rural parliamentarian Selma Shikongo warned that many Namibian schoolgirls who are subjected to “embarrassing and humiliating incidents”, choose to skip school during their menstrual periods, rather than endure teasing and other prejudicial acts. This has restricted and reduced access to education for many girls and increased school dropouts, with long-term impacts on the girl's lives and livelihoods, she argued.
She said costly sanitary pads are often out of reach for poorer communities while some rural areas don't sell sanitary products at all.
Shikongo, representing urban Ondangwa, tabled a motion in which she urged the National Council to “engage relevant government ministries with the purpose of ensuring that schoolgirls are provided with free sanitary pads.”
During a presentation on gender equality, family planning, maternal health and child mortality at the rural parliamentarian session, Advocate Bience Gawanas said she would welcome a move by Namibia to follow in the footsteps of Kenya, which recently announced the free distribution of sanitary towels to young Kenyan girls.
“If we can give free condoms, surely we should be able to give free sanitary towels and make those girls feel that they can stand up and go to school when they are menstruating,” Gawanas said.
She said such a national move would help address the taboo around menstruation, and help girls “feel that it is not wrong and not shameful to menstruate”.
The parliamentarian session, attended by female and male delegates from all 14 regions, was held under the theme 'Parliament Gives a Voice to Rural Women and Men on Sustainable Development Goals'.
The sessions are aimed at providing rural communities with legislative representation to discuss, engage and recommend on crucial developmental issues.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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