TIME TO END SECRECY, BIAS LINKED TO MENSTRUATION

Saturday, May 28 was Menstrual Hygiene Day. The day was marked quietly in Tanzania, and it is highly unlikely that many people were even remotely aware of this important annual awareness day.

Menstruation is a perfectly normal and natural bodily function among women of childbearing age, which begins from puberty and lasts until menopause. However, the subject is taboo in many communities in Tanzania, even in this day and age of free flow of information.

Many young girls are caught unawares by the onset of menstruation for the simple reason that people who should know better are not ready to discuss the matter with them and prepare them for the fundamental changes in their bodies. As a result, many young girls are traumatised by the experience, which can leave them mentally scarred for many years.

Even when young girls are made aware of and prepared psychologically for menstruation, many have to grapple with the lack of the necessary sanitary materials both at home and school. Many girls skip school for up to one week every month during their menstrual periods. This is unacceptable.

That is why efforts being made by civil society and other stakeholders in Tanzania to ensure the availability of sanitary pads in schools deserve to be commended and supported. No girl should skip school just because there are in their menstrual periods.

Globally, efforts are being made to break the taboos and end the stigma surrounding menstruation; raise awareness about the challenges regarding access to menstrual products, education about menstruation and period-friendly sanitation facilities, and mobilise the funding required for action at scale, according to menstrualhygieneday.org.

It is not acceptable that because of a natural bodily function women and girls continue to be prevented from getting an education, earning an income and fully and equally participating in everyday life.

KEEP CHILDREN IN SCHOOL

Despite primary school enrolment having reached record levels, the number of pupils dropping out before completing Standard Seven is also said to have increased significantly, especially in rural areas.

In the urban centres, the situation is not better either. Poverty appears to drive many young girls out of school to work as house help or barmaids, or to engage in prostitution. The boys also leave school to work in mines or do menial jobs for ridiculously low pay.

This cannot be left to continue. Efforts must be made now to reverse the situation. One way of doing this is for the government to take action against parents or guardians of school dropouts who get married or take up menial jobs.

Village governments should identify and ensure that stern action is taken against those who block children from joining Form One even after the passing the national Standard Seven examination.

For national prosperity, the school dropout menace must be curbed in an effort to build a foundation for the skilled manpower this country badly needs.