Facilitating Access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights of Adolescent Girls
Facilitating Access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights of Adolescent Girls
During our need assessment in Hulumi, findings revealed that many adolescent girls fall pregnant while in school affecting secondary school dropout and enrolment rates. Furthermore, in many communities, there are still a lot of persisting taboos and stigma surrounding menstruation. This is coupled with the lack of education on these issues, limited access to menstrual products, and poor WASH facilities which all lead to poor menstrual hygiene.
So, we visited Hulumi community where we engaged the services of a public health specialist to empower adolescent girls to make informed choices regarding their bodies and relationships, and empower them to manage their periods safely, hygienically, confidently, and without shame.
The training was mostly interactive, which gave room for the girls to air their views and allow the specialist address theories the girls have about their sexual reproductive health. The program was divided into several parts and focused on personal development and understanding of the female body. It also covered discussions on menstruation, the menstrual cycle and reproduction. After discussions, the girls were divided into groups to talk about the effects of teenage pregnancy on girls and boys, and afterwards group leads made presentations to all participants.
The specialist also taught and demonstrated to the participants, ways to use and manage reusable pads for sustainability. Thereafter we distributed Menstrual Hygiene Management Kits which contained menstruation materials to cater to their needs for three months to three years. One kit contained 4 disposable pads, 1 reusable pad, 3 pants, 2 bar soaps, a dark towel and a hand sanitiser.
The program was successful and very interactive. We were able to improve the knowledge of adolescent girls on their reproductive and sexual health and grant them access to materials that will help them manage their menstruation safely and hygienically.
