By Hellen Seku
Menstruation, or period, is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman’s monthly cycle. Every month, your body prepares for pregnancy. If no pregnancy occurs, the uterus, or womb, sheds its lining. The menstrual blood is partly blood and partly tissue from inside the uterus”
It is significant to note that it is a natural biological process and a sign that shows someone is healthy. It is a phenomenon that needs to be respected and well managed in the societies where we live.
Actually, experiencing regular periods as a woman, is something everyone should not wake up and complain about because it is a reason as to why each one of us exist.
However, a woman bleeding for 5-6 days every month is a big challenge to many because it comes with a lot of cramps, mood swings, blood and this makes many women uncomfortable either at their places of work, school, and businesses and in their daily work routines.
As a result, most of the young girls have ended up not reaching their potential, especially in education.
But the most disturbing question is, when our fellows are going through such challenging periods, what kind of support have we offered them?
How often are these girls helped to ensure they get out or reduce that indomitable pain? How have we supported each other, when was the last time you pulled that girl’s hand to take her to the place of convenience to carry out necessary and essential cleaning?
And do you still remember the last time you pulled out a sanitary pad from your bag to share with your fellow woman/girl not because she doesn’t have but in those unfortunate times when her periods abruptly showed up?
Everyone is aware that in most cases when women are on periods, they tend to do things which are unpredictable and uncalled for.
Some go an extra mile to utter words out of anger and discomfort without considering who is going to be affected by their emotions and actions but have you ever approached that woman and calmed her down or we just don’t mind about them and forget that she is doing something unintentional.
How much does it cost you to make these girls feel good and assure them of your support during such a time?
It is also important to keep an open eye on our daughters. As a mother when your daughter experiences menstruation for the first time teach her to manage the situation.
As Uganda joins the rest of the world to celebrate the menstrual hygiene day, under the theme “Period friendly World”, which is celebrated every 28 day of May, let us rise up and create a period friendly world because it starts with you and me.
But also if this is to be well implemented, schools need to provide all the necessary information about menstruation period, services like clean water availability, clean toilets for girls as well as emphasizing the significance of recognizing the emotional challenges that are associated with the menstruation period.
Statistics
Research from the 2020 situational analysis report by the Ministry of Education and Sports, indicated that more than half of girls that enroll in primary one drop out before sitting their Primary Leaving Examinations mainly because of menstrual challenges such as inability to afford sanitary products such as
.About five million girls in Uganda lost at least 18 percent of their annual school time each year during their menstruation period
Yumbe District recorded highest number school drop-out with a 43% rate for primary six and seven school girls, according to district’s rapid assessment
The writer is the Commissioner of the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps Uganda (NSPC) in the Office of the President
Leave a Reply