Campaign! Make sanitary pads free
Studies have shown that millions of girls in Africa and in the world miss school because they don’t have access to or money for sanitary products. Menstruation in many societies is discussed in hushed tones. Unfortunately, the ripple effect is that young girls across the country are forced to out of school because they cannot deal with it. The fall out of this is that these girls use tissue paper and rags in place of sanitary pads.
When I was growing up, things used to be hard for my family. As small as I was, I knew the financial strength of my family and so, I couldn’t pester them to give me money for sanitary pad. I did menial jobs in school t hen just to save money to buy sanitary pads. It was horrible then. I had a classmate who used to stain the bench she always sat on when her ‘flow’ comes. It was disgusting. Some months, she doesn’t come to class so that she would not embarrass herself.
But, we find out in societies of today that the price of one sanitary pad can be used to buy over three packets of condom. Looking at statistics in Africa especially, the rate of people getting infected with Sexually Transmitted Diseases is on the rise. This petition seeks to raise questions like; if condoms were sold at the rate at which sanitary pads are sold, wouldn’t young people abstain from sex? Is having sex not by choice, why cant people spend money just to derive pleasure especially outside wedlock?
Girls in rural areas cannot afford to buy sanitary pads and tampons! Governments should wake up, make policies and strong statements concerning this issue. The time is now! Let our society evolve from this phase!
- Martha Okere
Nigeria
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