Most Kenyan Men Admit They've Never Bought Sanitary Pads For Daughters During Menstrual Hygiene Day

• Local men are known to distance themselves from the menstrual life of the women in their lives, often treating it as a taboo
• Kakenya's Dream, a community-based organisation in Transmara, Narok county, seeks to change the view
• The group which partners with the ministries of Health and Education in its undertakings invited men to be alive to their women's menstrual hygiene, especially their daughters

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

A section of girl child rights defenders have raised concerns about taboos hindering girls from accessing sanitary pads.

They made the calls on Saturday, June 1, during the commemoration of the Menstrual Hygiene Day.

The 2024 theme for the Menstrual Hygiene Day is "Together for a period-friendly world."

Kakenya's Dream, a Transmara-based organisation which works to invest in girls from rural Kenya through educational, health, and leadership initiatives called for immediate measures to end cultural taboos linked to menstrual hygiene.

What counsel were men given over women's Menstrual Hygiene?

There have been numerous news reports highlighting how lack of access to sanitary pads has pushed young girls out of school or made them prey for men who offer them pads in exchange for intercourse.

In partnership with the Ministries of Education and Health, Daniel Korinko, Kakenya's Dream's Director of Programmes, challenged men to actively speak about menstrual hygiene in a bid to end the stigma associated with the natural and healthy process for ladies.

"Most men shy away from speaking about menstruation. It's sad that many have acknowledged they have never bought sanitary pads for their daughters and female relatives," Korinko said.

He said this normalised situation needs to be changed if menstrual hygiene is to be achieved as it makes young girls feel that having their periods is something bad.

"We also call on male-dominated organisations and other well-wishers to support girls from rural parts and low-income families to buy sanitary pads so that they don't miss classes during their periods," explained Korinko.

Korinko's call for men's active participation comes in the wake of a World Bank projection that over 500 million women and girls in the world struggle to access important menstrual products.

Kakenya's Dream, on its side, has provided sanitary pads to thousands of learners in the Transmara region in Narok and Kenyenya area in Kisii county.

Meanwhile, nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has consistently been championing measures to end menstrual stigma.

What achievements has Orwoba had?

As the women marked World Menstrual Day, the lawmaker sponsored to the Senate by the UDA party took the opportunity to highlight the progress in her cause.

She revealed to TUKO.co.ke that her efforts to eradicate period poverty and stigma had prompted the government to raise the budget for free sanitary products from KSh 260 million to KSh 940 million for the fiscal year 2023/24.

Orwoba mentioned drafting the 2023 Sanitary Towel Provision Bill, which urged the government to supply schoolgirls and prisoners with free, adequate, high-quality sanitary towels.

She added that she distributed more than 300,000 packs of sanitary towels to schoolgirls through the Glos Pad Bank initiative.

The senator however affirmed that her efforts to combat menstrual stigma had been met with challenges, detailing some of these obstacles.

Initially, she cited improper distribution of sanitary towels and lack of accountability as one of the challenges.

She also mentioned constantly receiving online threats, instances of period shaming, and cyberbullying due to her campaign to end period poverty.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.