Many Girls around the world go through difficulties during their periods. An estimated 11% of the world’s population are female children, which is 825 million of the 7.9 billion people in the world, as of 2019.
Women who are in their menstrual ages are twice as prone to sexual infections as those that are not, if they fail to manage their menstrual hygiene properly.
During this era of COVID – 19 Pandemic and as schools are locked in most countries, girls will naturally go through some psychological trauma since they find themselves doing what they have not done for quite some time within a given period of time.
The theme for the World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020 is “Periods in Pandemic”, where it is agreed by stakeholders that periods do not wait because of pandemics.
The idea behind choosing this theme is to highlight how the challenges faced by women during menstruation have worsened due to the ongoing pandemic.
Girls in the rural and remote areas are more vulnerable with the lack of menstrual pads and other hygiene materials and facilities, to take care of themselves during their periods.
WUZDA Ghana believes that every girl should still be able to go through her period with dignity and without any stigma.
Our After 24 Years Before Marriage or A24Y Project has over the last year been highlighting the need for girls to be allowed to freely go through their periods without any shame whatsoever.
We have also through the project, empowered and encouraged girls to remain confident and unshaken during their periods, as they must be able to still go to school and sit in class even when they menstruate.
The distribution of menstrual hygiene materials to girls at the Prisons School Complex in Tamale highlights our commitment to seeing the girl child fare well during her period.
As a girl, you are not less human just because you are having your period. Menstruation is not a problem, poor menstrual hygiene is.
As the world marks Hygiene Day today, WUZDA Ghana and our main partner in girl child empowerment, Mundo Cooperante, wish to remind girls around the world, especially in Ghana that ‘you can move mountains’ even as you have your period.
Happy World Menstrual Hygiene Day to all girls.
Signed
Shaibu Awudu – Media and Communications
WUZDA Ghana 