Menstrual Hygiene Vs COVID-19#75

In well-developed countries like the United States, information about menstruation and women’s reproductive health is taught at a basic level to both young schoolboys and girls. By the time young girls start their periods, they are equipped with both the knowledge of how to navigate periods and with the comfortability of easy access to sanitary products. In poorer countries, both the conversation and access to sanitary products is limited, hindering women’s access to safe and reliable menstrual hygiene health. Did you know that on average, a woman will menstruate for about seven years in her lifetime? Could you imagine spending seven years of your life feeling shame for your body and unsure about how to obtain the necessary hygiene products?

In the poorer regions of Uganda, young girls miss an average of 2-3 days a month due to a variety of factors related to menstruation. Some of these factors include the lack of doors in bathrooms or changing areas, little to no access to sanitary pads or tampons, the stigma of being “dirty” that is associated with menstruation, an unpredictable supply of water, and a poor sewage system that provides unsafe water. Even in their own homes, rural women face these challenges and more. As COVID-19 continues to spread, these factors have been exasperated by mandatory lockdowns and decreased supply of hygiene products. To combat their lack of sanitary products, many rural women have succumbed to using dirt, banana leaves, or other non-traditional items as replacements. This poor menstrual hygiene is known to cause a variety of health risks and increased risk for urinary or reproductive system infections.

Most affected are Girls and Women in rural settings. In past efforts, visited rural areas were provided with clean sources of water, changing areas, proper waste disposal facilities, and sanitary. We recently held a Rural Community Empowerment Week, and these latest efforts will be done in rural Districts of Uganda.

We assume to ;-
Continuous engagements with different stakeholders on Violence against Children.
Decreased attitudes of acceptability of sexual violence against children since there will be evidence commitment to all participants publicly endorse to end child marriages, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse through intervening in some local community programs.
Enhance awareness and knowledge on violence against children, including early marriages, sexual abuse and exploitation, among the public and relevant stakeholders that can guide and accelerate adequate responses.

The creation of these discussions space will provide awareness raising materials to share and promote information and encourage different local, National and International actions and initiatives about children’s rights and responsibilities to increase their knowledge and confidence on early marriages, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, a subject considered taboo in communities.
Working with schools, teachers, local government and other stakeholders on raising public awareness of Sexual Exploitation and Sexual abuse of children to prevent crimes, prosecute the perpetrators and protect the victims as a whole to make sure it does not shy away from the problem, but brings it to light and discussions ways and take practical steps to solve it and build grounded knowledge for a change of behaviors to strengthen their contributions to stop sexual violence against children and advocate their rights.