Access to sanitary products, clean facilities, and proper information is not a luxury but a right,” the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has said.

Dr Lartey explained that menstruation was a natural biological process and that no girl should be made to feel unworthy, excluded or ashamed because of it.

She said this in Accra last week when she addressed school girls drawn from selected basic and Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Greater Accra Region.

The event which was organised by Touching Lives of Girls Foundation International (TLGFI), a non-governmental organisation that focuses on promoting menstrual hygiene.

It formed part of activities to mark World Men­strual Hygiene Day (WMHD) which is observed on May 28 every year.

According to Dr Lartey, the theme for the year “Making menstruation a normal part of life by 2030,” was not just a call to action but a commit­ment to dignity, inclusion and equality.

She mentioned that the Ministry has harmonised and mainstreamed gender into social protection programmes and other governmental interven­tions to effectively support and protect the vulnerable and marginalised for national develop­ment.

“We are proud to stand at the forefront of ef­forts to improve menstrual hygiene management across Ghana and believe that ensuring access to menstrual products, accurate information and safe sanitary facility is not only a health issue but also a human right issue,” the Minister said.

She stated that menstruation was a natural and essential part of life and that it should never be a source of shame, stigma or fear.

She said in many communities, girls were forced to miss school, suffer in silence or use unsafe methods due to lack of access to sanitary prod­ucts and information.

Dr Lartey mentioned the establishment of sup­port systems to address sexual abuse, including the Ministry’s Orange Support Centre, the Buame App and dedicated free helplines to report abuse.

An Obstetrician Gynaecologist at St Dominic Hospital, Akwatia, Dr John Bosomtwe, also called for a more comprehensive and gender-sensitive approach to education and sanitation in schools, emphasising the crucial role that schools play in shaping the lives of young people, particularly girls.

He said schools need to go beyond academic in­struction to provide an environment that nurtures and supports girls during their most vulnerable periods.

“Schools have a primary role of formation for all of us, especially the girls,” Dr Bosomtwe said. “We need to consider comprehensive education that addresses administration-related challenges in a way that is age-appropriate and sensitive to their needs.”

He commended the existing collaboration between schools and district health manage­ment teams under the School Health Programme (SHEP), describing it as a valuable framework that can be further explored and strengthened to benefit students.

Dr Bosomtwe stressed the importance of involv­ing boys and male teachers in menstrual health education to foster empathy and support within the school environment.

 By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu