On 13^th September 2019, the Kenyan media reported the death of a fourteen-year-old girl by suicide in Kabiangek after she was allegedly period shamed by her teacher. On a different spectrum, reports indicate teenage girls in slums and western Kenya engage in transactional sex to purchase sanitary towels. It is completely unwarranted that instances such as these for normal biological process that are the core of sexual and reproductive health. We should all be shouting from rooftops to end the degradation of young girls and women and ‘enlighten’ those who chose to take advantage of them.

Let’s begin with basic education and terms:  

Menstrual health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being to the menstrual cycle. Menstrual hygiene refers to the accessibility to menstrual products that absorb blood flow, privacy to change these materials, and availability of facilities to dispose of the used sanitary items.  Menstrual health and hygiene management are vital to the empowerment and well-being of women and girls.

Despite the emphasis placed by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number three until six on universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare; challenges still exist that make menstruation an expensive process and a time of deprivation and stigma. Among them are:

1. Extreme poverty hence the inability to access the sanitary materials
2. Harmful traditions that view menstrual flow as dirty
3. Menstruation stigma prevents girls from seeking treatment for menstrual-related pain and discomfort.
4. Exclusion from public activities like handling food or visiting religious places
5. Inadequate access to water and sanitation facilities
6. Scarcity of privacy in informal sectors
7. Lack of functional doors, proper lighting, and separation by gender in toilets that may be available in some areas
8. Vulnerability of the girl to abuse since some perceive menarche as a time where one is ready for marriage and sexual activity

Failure to effectively manage these challenges results in overwhelming effects. The girls and women are at a greater risk of infection for not maintaining personal hygiene and using the right menstrual products. As a result of lack of resources some girls use rags or other makeshift items to absorb the menstrual blood. These may result in leaks that expose them to shame and embarrassment. Further, due to the stigma associated with that time of the month, some girls may miss school. At least one in ten girls in Sub-Saharan Africa miss school during menstruation (2016 study by Human Rights Watch).

In 2004, the government of Kenya eventually removed taxes on sanitary ware to make the materials more affordable. However, despite the exemption of VAT (Value Added Tax), the cost remains high for some girls and women. 65% of the girls and women still find it challenging to afford sanitary pads (ZANA Africa).  According to a study conducted in 2015, 0ne in ten fifteen-year-old girls was having sex to get money for sanitary towels (ZANA Africa). Therefore, much still needs to be done to uphold the dignity of the girl child.

Besides the tax exemption, the government has looked into providing pads for school-going girls to prevent absenteeism and formulating a policy on menstrual health and hygiene. Given the strides Kenya has made on other avenues, Kenya is progressing too slowly on providing affordable (free) sanitary menstrual products. The days of waiting for NGOs to sort this out are a thing of the past. We need to speak up and loudly about menstrual health and hygiene.  Citizens let’s demand for sanitary pads for all girls and women! And shame on all those who put down girls and women about their period.