Youngduuni: The Northern Regional Programme Office of ActionAid Ghana has commemorated this year's Menstrual Hygiene Day at Youngduuni, a farming community in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region. Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed globally on May 28, aims to raise awareness about menstrual health and hygiene, promote good practices, and dispel myths and misconceptions surrounding menstruation.
According to Ghana News Agency, 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, delivered a speech at the event, highlighting the significance of the day. She explained that the event drew attention to the challenges women and girls face in managing their menstrual cycles, particularly in resource-limited settings, and underscored the need for access to menstrual products, education, and proper sanitation.
Mrs Biije stated that this day is particularly important to ActionAid Ghana because it aligns with their Country Strategy Paper VII focus areas, which seek to promote access to sexual and reproductive health rights and water, sanitation, and hygiene services. She 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.
Mrs Biije expressed concern over limited access to sanitary facilities, noting 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 offer menstrual health education, and only one in three has appropriate disposal facilities for menstrual waste.
She highlighted recent data showing 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.
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.
