Government’s decision to offer free sanitary pads to the Junior high schools and senior high schools continue to generate discussions and reactions among civil society organizations in the reproductive health field.
The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARIHR), a Civil Society Organization (CSO) advocating for the reproductive health and rights of women and girls is demanding a clear implementation and funding strategy of government’s free sanitary pads initiative to ensure the effective and sustainable execution of the policy.
Government says it has allocated 292.4 million cedis in the 2025 Budget for the provision of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools.
According to the finance minister during the budget presentation, the commitment is a critical step toward addressing menstrual hygiene challenges and ensuring that girls, especially those from low income households, do not miss school due to lack of access to sanitary products.
But the civil society group in a release commended government for the initiative and raised some concerns regarding the policy’s implementation. According to the group, without a strategy, the policy risks being ineffective, inequitable, or mismanaged.
Key among their concerns is “the funding and Budget justification, which ministry will be responsible for the implementation and coordination mechanism, the distribution mechanism to prevent duplication and inefficiencies? Procurement and Supply Chain Considerations on if the sanitary pads be locally produced or imported?
“What measures will be put in place to prevent supply shortages and ensure timely distribution? Distribution Frequency and Monitoring, What accountability mechanisms will be instituted to prevent leakages, diversion, or corruption in the distribution process? And the tracking mechanism of the impact of the policy to ensure that it meets its intended objectives?” the statement further quizzed.
The Civil Society Organization (CSO) is further urging Government to provide urgent answers to these critical questions to ensure transparency and accountability in the rollout of the policy while encouraging further engagements with the various stakeholders to avoid policy evaporation.
“Transparency and accountability in the rollout of this policy are essential to ensuring that it reaches the intended beneficiaries and delivers a meaningful impact. We call on the government to engage stakeholders, including CSO’s, in the development of a robust implementation and funding strategy.
“This will ensure that the policy does not suffer policy evaporation but is a transformative intervention that empowers girls, promotes gender equity, and improves menstrual hygiene management in Ghana. We look forward to the Government’s response and stand ready to collaborate in ensuring that this policy is effectively implemented for the benefit of all schoolgirls in Ghana,” the statement noted.
Source: 3news.com