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Liapeng Raliengoane
LESOTHO, Quthing – Following the dialogue on menstrual health held by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Lesotho) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Lesotho in Mphaki Tšitsong, to capacitate the community on menstrual health and hygiene, the community applauded the discussion.
This community dialogue went under the theme “Addressing negative gender and cultural norms”, and was marked by the distribution of menstrual kits for girls and hygiene packs for boys.
According to the Borgen Project research titled “Empowering Lesotho’s Girls: The Fight Against Period Poverty”, in Lesotho, the average girl misses 50 days of school every year, as they lack access to sanitary products and education about menstruation. Their education suffers and this reduces their chances of escaping poverty.
Amongst issues discussed throughout the dialogue were that boys and girls should be taught about menstruation so that they understand it, fathers should discuss menstrual health with their girl children, and that poverty is a driving factor leading young girls into being victims of rape by old men because they require sanitary napkins and those older men buy them for them. Also, girls sometimes miss school while on their periods because parents cannot afford sanitary napkins, a solution is for sanitary napkins to be provided for free.
An adolescent, Makhethe Kotelo expressed that he learned a lot from the dialogue and pleaded with parents to talk to their children about menstruation so that they learn from them as elders. He made a promise to support girls when they are on their monthly period and further assured them not to discriminate against them.
Another adolescent, Hopolang Thekiso said from the dialogue, she learned the importance of using contraceptives to prevent early and unintended pregnancy. “I also learned to use sanitary napkins properly, bearing in mind good hygiene.”
While presenting the situation in Mphaki Health Centre, Sexual and Reproductive Health Mentor, Keneuoe Thinyane revealed that the Mphaki area has high numbers of early and unintended pregnancies. Pregnant women do not show up for antenatal care in time at health facilities, while some enter into child marriages.
For the 2nd quarter of the year, teenage pregnancy is as follows: 3 cases in April 2024, 8 cases in May, and 9 cases in June 2024. While new HIV infections are as follows: 2 cases in April, 1 case in May, and 1 case in June.
While handing over menstrual kits, UNFPA Lesotho Country Representative Innocent Modisaotsile said the dialogue marked the annual international day of menstrual health which is celebrated on 28th May but due to the death of the Principal Chief of Phamong around that date, it was postponed to August.
“UNFPA Lesotho works towards educating and creating awareness on menstrual health, finding ways to assist in accessing menstrual products, promoting menstrual health and hygiene, breaking the stigma, supporting and advocating for enabling environment.”
UNFPA Lesotho is working to achieve four transformative results which are, Ending Preventable Maternal Deaths, Ending Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices like Child Marriage, Ending HIV and other transmissible diseases and Ending the Unmet Need for Family Planning among others.