Malawi commemorates Menstrual Hygiene Day
Malawi on Tuesday joined the international community in commemorating Menstrual Hygiene Day in Lilongwe to raise awareness on the challenges women and girls face due to menstruation.
The commemoration, themed Breaking the Silence: Empowering Women and Girls to Take Action in Menstrual Hygiene, was held at Mphanje Primary School in Traditional Authority (T/A) Njewa and it was the first time for Malawi to participate since the day was launched in 2014.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, director of reproductive health in the Ministry of Health Fannie Kachale called for a change of mindset regarding menstruation.
She said: “It is important that we encourage our women and girls that menstrual days are normal days and there is nothing to be ashamed of. We need to give them proper information and remove myths surrounding menstrual days.”
Kachale said treating menstruation as taboo has left many girls inadequately prepared to manage their menstrual hygiene, resulting in disastrous impact on their education and other critical aspects of their lives.
“Many girls fail to attend classes during menstruation. They are afraid of being embarrassed or noticed that they are menstruating,” she said, calling for the establishment of proper hygiene facilities in all schools.
During the commemoration, Plan Malawi handed over new toilet facilities it has constructed at Mphanje Primary School.
Member of Parliament for Lilongwe Kumachenga Marko Ching’onga commended Plan Malawi and government for choosing the area to pioneer the commemoration.
He said the awareness generated by this day would inspire more girls to focus on their education.
One of the learners at Mphanje Primary School Rebecca Chiwaya, 16, thanked organisations that are supporting school girls with reusable sanitary pads and constructing toilet facilities.
“Lack of proper hygiene facilities plus the mockery we received from boys during menses forced many girls to miss classes for days. We are happy for this support because it will make the school environment friendly to girls,” she said.
Menstrual Hygiene Day was started by a German non-governmental organisation Wash United, and May 28 was selected to symbolise the 28 days of an average length of menstrual cycle.
