It’s time for action on Menstrual Hygiene Day in Ghana

Published on: 22/05/2019

Schoolchildren in Ghana. Photo: IRC

This year’s theme for Menstrual Hygiene Day is “It’s time for action” and there is a special focus on menstrual hygiene education. This means:

• Prioritising advocacy at policy and decision making level on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and removal of tax on menstrual hygiene products
• Provision of gender and disability friendly toilets with changing rooms to provide security and privacy for girls during menstruation
• Intensifying education to reduce myths and misconceptions surrounding menstruation.

The event in Ghana will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre and will be a mix of activities by selected schools, and speeches by dignitaries. The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection will be a keynote speaker who will also make a speech in Parliament on MHM. Other dignitaries attending will include her Excellency, Mrs. Samira Bawumia, Second Lady and wife of the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and the Deputy Minister for Education.

The event will attract chief executives and officials from the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), development partners, non-governmental organisations, academic and research institutions, private sector, media and a wide range of stakeholders. Menstrual hygiene ambassadors and other celebrities will also be present to support the menstrual hygiene agenda.

The activities will include the following:

• Drama by selected school children
• Poetry recitals, recordings of experiences from girls and boys on MHM, and a short documentary on girls' experiences.

Short statements to be delivered by the following:

• Traditional leader
• Youth Ambassador
• NGO lead (CONIWAS), and
• Development partners lead (UNICEF).

Other activities include:

• Panel discussion by central government level policy personalities and key stakeholders to consider government’s policy and positive drive towards social change in MHM
• Regional and district-level activities in schools across Ghana using graphic novels on MHM.

Participants will interact with community members on MHM and the importance of observing good menstrual hygiene practices.