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The Nairobian

Tackling period poverty must go beyond handing out pads

Opinion

By Sheila Van de Graph | Jan 20, 2025

Kenya Association of Manufacturers head of communications Sally Kahiu with Del Monte Kenya Marketing Manager Margaret Nyoro donate sanitary pads to students of Kihunguro Primary School in Gatanga Constituency, Murangá County in celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day.[Wilberforce Okwiri,Standard]

Every new school term in Kenya, the conversation about period poverty re-emerges, focusing on girls who miss class due to the lack of menstrual products. The most affected are learners from rural and marginalised areas, and urban slums. While this conversation is important, it tends to ignore the fact that period poverty – being unable to work or attend school because of lack of funds for sanitary products – is not just an education issue; it is a multi-dimensional crisis that affects health, human rights, and economic development.

For thousands of marginalised women across Kenya, it means enduring public shame, infections, or reliance on harmful, makeshift solutions. It is estimated that 65 per cent of women and girls in Kenya cannot afford sanitary pads, and that two out of three pad users in rural areas receive them from sexual partners.

Yet, the cost of ignoring period poverty can be staggering. Beyond the missed school days and lost economic productivity, period poverty entrenches gender inequality. One report has shown that poor menstrual hygiene management leads to stigma, restricts women’s mobility, and erodes their dignity. The resulting social exclusion perpetuates cycles of poverty and limits women’s contributions to their families and communities.

And while we focus on distributing pads to schoolgirls – a noble and necessary intervention – the broader problem remains inadequately addressed. What about the teenage girl who drops out and needs support to re-enter the education system? What about the unemployed young woman who cannot afford menstrual products? What about rural women who lack access to water and safe sanitation facilities?

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Fortunately, a new wave of innovative thinking is emerging. Senator Gloria Orwoba, known for her bold advocacy, recently introduced a motion in the Senate that has proposed a bold national framework for menstrual equity as a fundamental human right, calling for menstrual health to be integrated into universal healthcare. Her proposal also emphasises investing in community-driven solutions, such as reusable pads and menstrual cups, which are cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.

The senator, now affectionately referred to as Menstrual Hygiene Ambassador, has been driving a campaign for free menstrual products in a country where period stigma still prevails.

But there’s a missing piece: Men. Period poverty will remain a niche issue unless men – fathers, teachers, and policymakers – are included in the conversation. Involving men in menstrual health advocacy can dismantle cultural taboos, increase funding, and create more inclusive solutions.

Addressing period poverty is no longer about handing out pads – it’s about tackling the structural inequalities that keep women and girls from thriving. It’s about breaking the silence, designing inclusive systems, and fostering collaboration between government, the private sector, and civil society.

The true cost of period poverty is not just the embarrassment of a stained uniform; it is the unrealised potential of millions of girls and women. By treating menstrual equity as a human rights and development issue, Kenya can lead a new, transformative chapter in the global fight for gender equality. No girl or woman should have to choose between dignity and opportunity. Let’s move the debate forward.

Ms Van de Graaph writer is the Executive Director of US-based YouthRoots