Kampala, Uganda – As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, women’s rights groups in Uganda are calling attention to a pressing issue that has been overlooked for far too long: the menstrual health crisis.
A recent audit report by the Auditor General has revealed the dire state of access to menstrual hygiene products for girls in Uganda. The report shows that a staggering 64% of girls miss school days due to lack of access to menstrual hygiene products. This has led to a significant number of girls dropping out of school, perpetuating the cycle of inequality and discrimination.
Furthermore, a feasibility study on menstrual health and school absenteeism among adolescent girls in Uganda found that 19.8% of girls interviewed reported missing at least one day of school during their last period, and 17.3% reported missing school in the last 30 days due to menstruation. A staggering 38.5% of these girls mentioned ‘fear of leaking blood’ as their main reason for missing school during menstruation.
The government has cited resource constraints as the reason for its inability to cover the gap in access to menstrual hygiene products. However, the women’s rights groups argue that this is unacceptable, given that menstrual health interventions require just 0.05% of the national budget.
“This crisis disproportionately affects girls, while boys often continue their education uninterrupted,” said a spokesperson for Femme Forte Uganda, one of the organizations that signed the statement. “The result is a cycle of inequality and discrimination, where young girls are denied their right to education simply because of a natural biological process.”
The women’s rights groups are also criticizing the government’s obsession with policing morality rather than addressing real social injustices. They point to the recent push to criminalize cohabitation under the proposed Marriage Bill 2024 as an example of this.
“Uganda continues to demonstrate its obsession with policing morality rather than addressing real social injustices,” the statement reads. “Their recent push to criminalize cohabitation under the proposed Marriage Bill 2024 is one of the attempts to control personal choices while conveniently ignoring the urgent struggles faced by women, girls and other structurally marginalized groups in Uganda.”
The broader religious community has also been complicit in endorsing laws that perpetuate violence and discrimination, according to the women’s rights groups. They argue that religious leaders should utilize their platforms to raise critical issues like condemning violence against women and holding the government accountable to their commitments.
“While religious leaders and policymakers debate who should or should not live together, young girls nationwide are missing school because they cannot afford sanitary pads,” the statement reads. “While our leaders push for regressive laws under the guise of morality, they continue to ignore the daily injustices, including sexual and gender-based violence, that strip women and girls of dignity, education, and opportunities.”
The women’s rights groups are also drawing attention to the dire situation faced by girls in various regions of Uganda, who are forced to use unhygienic materials such as sand and bleeding holes to manage their menstruation, putting their health at risk.
Beyond the availability of menstrual hygiene products, local governments continue to neglect the provision of essential water and sanitation services, such as access to clean water, toilets, changing rooms, and appropriate disposal systems for pads. This neglect has resulted in girls being forced to prioritize using the little water they have access to for household needs instead of their menstrual hygiene, further deepening the cycle of inequality.
The gap in access to menstrual hygiene products has been largely covered by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which are currently under attack. According to the NGO Bureau, over 8,000 NGOs closed shop between 2019 and 2023. More recently, the United States government has also rolled out the USAID funds freeze, which has affected a good number of CSOs.
The funding cuts and crises are not just from the US; countries that had feminist funding policies have shifted priorities, resulting in massive funding cuts. Last year, in November 2024, the Dutch government announced intentions to cut NGO funding by funding to generate at least 50% of their budget independently (up from 25%). The Dutch government announced that it will also stop funding projects related to women’s rights, gender equality, vocational and higher education, and sports and culture.
The impact of this will see a disruption in the provision of essential services by CSOs, key among which is the provision of menstrual hygiene products to girls in schools, an area much neglected by the government.
In light of this crisis, the women’s rights groups are making the following demands:
To the Government of Uganda:
- Guarantee domestic financing to ensure uninterrupted access to critical health services, including menstrual hygiene products, water and sanitation, HIV prevention and treatment, and other reproductive health services.
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The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Education should urgently share a comprehensive plan to address funding gaps in health and education, including period poverty, and ensure an intersectional response to this,
to ensure that women and girls in all their diversities are catered for, and that no one is left behind.
To religious, cultural, and other opinion leaders:
- Cease fanning moral panic about sensitive issues, especially those that relate to women and other marginalized groups. The role of religious leaders should be to promote peace and unity and not sow discord and discrimination.
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Call out the government for its failure to address the issues that affect the lives of women and girls, including menstrual health issues, sexual and gender-based violence, unemployment, absence of social welfare programs and safety nets, leaving women to fend for themselves and their communities, resulting in poor health and life outcomes.
To the media, academia, and individual activists:
- Be critical and independent thinkers. Go beyond political rhetoric to uncover the hidden truths. Critically assess political narratives by comparing rhetoric with on-the-ground realities, ensuring human rights violations are not obscured by glorified portrayals of political figures.
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Collaborate with experts to counter deception. The media can serve as a vital bridge by prioritizing factual, accurate reporting to combat disinformation.
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Author articles that highlight hope, solutions, and alternative perspectives, moving beyond doom-focused narratives. Spotlight grassroots innovations and advocacy efforts fostering positive change.
The women’s rights groups emphasize that menstrual health is critical for the realization of all human rights of women, including the right to education, dignity, privacy, health, expression, and association. This is also central for the realization of Agenda 2030, as it is linked to SDG 3 and 5 to ensure that we leave no one behind.
“Ugandan women and girls deserve better!” the statement concludes.
The statement was signed by 13 women’s rights organizations, including:
- Femme Forte Uganda
- Women’s Probono Initiative (WPI)
- Akina Mama Wa Afrika (AMWA)
- Center for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP)
- Women and Girl Child Development Association (WEGCDA)
- Safe Haven for Sisters Initiative (SHASI)
- Coalition on Girls Empowerment (COGE)
- Centre for Women Justice Uganda (CWJU)
- FIDA Uganda
- Together Alive Health Initiative -TAHI
- Mentoring and Empowerment Programme for Young Women (MEMPROW)
- Wilmat Development Foundation (WDF)
- Give A Hand Foundation
