Although on any given day, more than 300 MILLION PEOPLE worldwide are menstruating, an estimated 500 million lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management. Poor menstrual hygiene can pose serious physical health risks, but many girls and women have limited options to accessible and affordable safe sanitary materials. Meanwhile, misinformation and misconceptions around menstruation perpetuate outdated cultural myths and damaging social taboos, ultimately leading to generations of unwarranted discrimination toward girls and women.
On May 28, we celebrate MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY to raise awareness about this critical issue so central to achieving gender justice in Sierra Leone and around the world and to break the stigma surrounding menstrual health once and for all.
According to Unesco, millions of girls in Sub-Sahara countries, including Sierra Leone, miss up to 20% of school because they do not have access to feminine hygiene products. Poverty and cultural stigma around menstruation are the main reasons for the difficulty of obtaining and using these products.
At SGUW, we advocate for the fundamental right of all girls and women to be able to manage their menstrual cycles with health, dignity, and support without experiencing stress, shame, discomfort, or fear. This includes girls attending schools at all levels.
We believe in dismantling systemic inequalities and removing unnecessary barriers to information and proper hygenic supplies for all girls.
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