Cost of sanitary pads for needy girls should be absorbed by GETFund – Gender advocates tell gov’t

Some gender advocates are proposing that the government seek alternative funding to cover the costs of sanitary pads for young girls who cannot afford them.

One advocate, business consultant Dr. Nana Esi Amos Abanyin, recommends that the government allocate funds to provide free sanitary towels for young females.

She suggests that the Ghanaian Education Trust Fund allocate a portion of its funds for the procurement of sanitary products to support girl child education.

“The girls are home and not in school due to common factors, sanitary pads they cannot afford. The Get-Fund can at least allocate 0.1% or 1% specifically to support the girls. Although its sole focus is on building schools, it is only the males that will have access to it if the girls aren’t also catered for,” she said.

There are demands on the government to lower the cost of sanitary pads, which are considered expensive due to high taxes.

This issue is hindering the academic advancement of many young girls, forcing them to miss school to manage their menstrual needs.

Dr. Abenyin emphasizes the importance of the government investing in educating young girls to empower them and promote a more equitable society.

“If the girls are not educated well the government should forget it,” she stated.

“We can still look within possibly the NHIS because that is health, to support the aspect of sanitary pad. We’re hoping the government can help support the distribution of sanitary pads, promote local production, and reduce the price to make sanitary pads affordable for everyone,” he said.

They made these remarks during a gender advocacy symposium organized by Send Ghana in collaboration with I Believe Global and Kumasi Technical University. The event brought together students, market women, and other gender advocates to discuss Ghana’s efforts towards gender equity.

The 2022 United Nations Voluntary National Review for the Sustainable Development Goals indicates that Ghana’s progress towards gender parity is steadily improving. The goal of gender parity seems achievable as parliament considers the Affirmative Action Bill, which was introduced 13 years ago but has not yet become law.

Dr. Abenyin emphasizes the need for the country to focus deliberately on implementing measures for gender parity, stressing that women must vigorously pursue this cause.

“If no action is taken and there is no way we can make progress. It’s apparent that external assistance for women may not be forthcoming. Hence, they must take the initiative to stand on their own and transform discussions into definitive actions,” she added.

Director of I Believe Global, Professor Smile Dzisi, urged the public to challenge gender stereotypes. She argues that these stereotypes undermine women’s contributions and hinder their ability to assume leadership positions.

“There is this perception that females cannot occupy certain positions very well. They think feminity is timidity, you can’t take bold decisions and that is a problem because we have great female leaders performing well,“ she said.