Prime minister Elijah Ngurare has announced that the government will allocate an additional N$5 million to the youth fund for the procurement of more sanitary pads.
He made the announcement at the launch of the Dawn of Dignity: Breaking Barriers for Albinism and Menstrual Health at the ||Kharas region on Thursday.
The allocation will target young, vulnerable and marginalised girls, and those with special learning needs.
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture has also included sanitary pads for young girls at all schools in its annual planning and budget.
“This is to restore dignity and keep them in class,” he said.
Through the dawn of dignity initiative, 41 700 packs of pads worth N$500 000 were purchased and will be distributed across all 14 regions to ensure fairness and nationwide impact.
“The ||Kharas region received 2 978 packs, a once-off boost to kickstart this pilot, with each girl receiving what she needs to face her cycles with confidence,” Ngurare said.
An assessment on menstrual health and hygiene management was conducted in seven regions. The ||Kharas region recorded the highest cases of period poverty, highlighting the need for adequate menstrual health and hygiene facilities in schools, and water and sanitation for menstruation.
“Countless girls are trapped in the cycle of poverty that value-added tax exemptions alone cannot break,” Ngurare said.
He added that the challenges faced by adolescent girls cannot be differentiated from sexual and reproductive health risks and the government must recognise that inclusive education can remove the barriers for full participation.
Ngurare commended the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare for obeying his directive to provide the necessity to young girls.
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