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Hazel Marimbiza

The world marks Menstrual Hygiene Day today with the global theme: “Step Up Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene Now!”

Menstrual hygiene day is a global platform that brings together non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to catalyse advocacy and action towards a world where women and girls are no longer limited because of their periods.

The day gives a chance to highlight the importance of menstrual care, and raise awareness about the issues faced by girls and women who don’t have access to sanitary products because access to sanitary products, safe, hygienic spaces in which to use them, and the right to manage menstruation without shame or stigma, is essential for anyone who menstruates.

With particular reference to Zimbabwe, menstrual health management for women/girls has always been a nightmare. Many women and girls cannot afford to buy sanitary pads and they resort to using unhygienic methods to manage their menstruation. This situation has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the Covid-19 regulations, there is increased period poverty with limited resources to purchase sanitary products.

Realizing the importance of menstrual hygiene, some men are breaking the silence around periods, tackling the stigma often associated with them, and raising awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene for women and girls who menstruate in Zimbabwe.

Co-founder and team leader for Fathers Against Abuse (FAA), Mr Alois Nyamazana said their organisation consists of men who are raising awareness on the importance of menstrual health in various ways.

Firstly as a group of men under FAA they raise awareness through donating sanitary wear to vulnerable girls and women.

“In terms of the donations, we just pool resources together as men and donate to the women in Eastview which is in Mashonaland East under Goromonzi District. Every month we donate to about 50 women.

“We give just two packs of sanitary wear to each woman. We distribute to all women and girls regardless of age. We have girls as young as 13 and women as old as 50 who have benefited from our initiative,” said Mr Nyamazana.

He said they also raise awareness by educating women on the importance of using safe sanitary wear so as to prevent infections.

Research indicates that hygiene-related practices of women during menstruation are of considerable importance because using unsafe material during menstruation may increase vulnerability to reproductive tract infections (RTIs). Furthermore, poor menstrual hygiene is one of the major reasons for the high prevalence of RTIs in the country and contributes significantly to female morbidity.

Mr Nyamazana said he has read so many reports of period poverty where several girls end up using dangerous materials like cow dung during menstruation and in the end they end up suffering from diseases like cancer, and other sexual reproductive challenges.

Additionally, Mr Nyamazana said they are raising awareness by engaging both men and women to openly discuss mensuration.

“There are a lot of taboos surrounding menstruation and as such women are discriminated. As men we want to demystify beliefs on menstruation being viewed as something that is dirty. Menstruation is a natural process. So what we do when we distribute the pads we urge women to be open about menstruation and sexual health issues. We also encourage them to teach their young boys and girls about menstruation,” he said.

Mr Nyamazana’s views concur with some research findings which indicate that whilst menstruation is a natural biological process for every woman/girl and necessary for the reproductive system, the process is not accorded the importance it deserves. Both men and women are said to be uncomfortable talking about it and as a result not much attention is given to it.

Research further states that lack of information regarding menstruation especially in developing nations creates room for misconceptions, myths and damaging information that leads to stigmatisation that surrounds the whole concept of menstruation which has a negative impact on the confidence and dignity of women/girls. In raising awareness FAA, also targets male leaders like teachers, MPs who they inspire to support women to access pads.

Mr Nyamazana said fathers are also encouraged to be free to talk about menstruation with their girls so that the whole process is demystified thus becoming a natural process.

He also highlighted that they encourage men to budget for sanitary wear within their families because not budgeting for women’s menstrual health has negative consequences.

According to research, when not much planning is made in families for that expense, it leaves women and girls to experience period poverty, a state where many women and girls struggle every month to buy proper menstrual hygiene products.

This often results in bigger challenges for the girls and women. Some of the challenges are that some girls are said to miss school as a result of lack of sanitary pads during their menstruation, which impacts negatively on their academic achievement.

Mr Nyamazana said around 60% of girls in rural areas at one point miss their lessons because they don’t have access to sanitary hence their potential to succeed in life is limited.

He indicated that other girls mess themselves when they go to school because they don’t use proper sanitary wear and after messing themselves they get bullied by boys, and as a result their self-esteem is affected.

“Another challenge worth noting is that there are also girls who are sexually abused because they will be looking for money to buy sanitary pads and they end up engaging in transactional sex not because they want to but because of their situation,’ said Mr Nyamazana.

With all these challenges that women and girls face during menstruation concerted efforts are needed to curb the scourge.

Mr Nyamazana highlighted that as a nation we did quite well in terms of ensuring people get condoms everywhere so we also need to put the same effort in ensuring women access the sanitary pads freely in communities.

While he credited the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube, for highlighting, at some point, in his budget that there is going to be free distribution of sanitary pads, he urged the free distribution process to be expedited.

Also in order to curb menstrual health challenges, Mr Nyamazana suggested that entrepreneurship in the form of production of sanitary wear should be supported.

“Right now the information we have is that we don’t have a processing/manufacturing plant for sanitary pads, and most of the products that are used to manufacture the pads are imported. We therefore urge the Government to make sure that sanitary pads are locally manufactured and support should be extended to entrepreneurs focusing on making them. Once the goods are localised obviously the prices will go down and most women will be able to buy the pads,” he said.

He also made indications that there is a need for religious leaders to educate members about menstrual health issues because there are some churches which believe that when a woman is in her periods she is unclean, that she can’t stand in front of people and that she can’t participate in anything.

Mr Nyamazana urged Zimbabweans to reflect on issues surrounding menstrual hygiene as a way to celebrate menstrual health this month.

“Let’s reflect as a country on how much we have done in ensuring women enjoy their sexual reproductive health. Let’s also create opportunities for women and girls to talk about the challenges that they are facing,” he said. -@HazelMarimbiza