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NewsDay

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Women’s ministry embarks on affordable sanitary wear programme

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THE Women’s Affairs and Gender ministry has embarked on a programme to provide affordable sanitary wear for underprivileged young girls, mostly in rural areas, who are believed to be still using unhygienic substitutes.

THE Women’s Affairs and Gender ministry has embarked on a programme to provide affordable sanitary wear for underprivileged young girls, mostly in rural areas, who are believed to be still using unhygienic substitutes.

By Phyllis Mbanje

“This problem is quite serious in the rural areas and flood-affected regions. We are looking into other cheaper alternatives like re-usable pads,” Chido Tsinakwadi, the acting director in the ministry, told NewsDay on Friday on the side lines of the handover of various sanitary wear to flood victims by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

“The dignity is lost by having to wake up without the very basic needs some of which are peculiar to women such as sanitary ware.”

More than 5 000 women are in need of life-saving protection services in flood-affected areas in Mashonaland Central province.

The UN education agency said, one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their monthly period. Some girls reportedly lose 20% of their education for this reason, making them more likely to drop out of school altogether.

Recently, the Kenyan government passed a law, which granted school-going girls free sanitary wear.

The amendment to the Education Act, signed into law by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, states “free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels” must be provided to every girl registered at school, as well as providing “a safe and environmental-sound mechanism for disposal”.

Tsinakwadi said while Kenya’s move was commendable, the Zimbabwean situation required a different approach.

UNFPA assistant representative, Abigail Msemburi said women were often sidelined during disasters and their needs ignored.

“Women are then exposed and particularly those who are pregnant are at risk of complications and maternal death as they are cut off from any health facilities,” she said.

Msemburi said under such conditions, women’s reproductive health needs and rights were often overlooked.

Zimbabwe experienced severe flooding, which saw many areas being affected. Women and children were the most affected as much as those living with HIV and Aids as they were cut off from nearest health centres.