The Happy School Girl project, as part of activities marking Menstrual Hygiene Day, is calling on Government to provide free sanitary pads as part of the Free Senior High school policy to ensure girls are not left behind in the attainment of free and quality education.
The Happy School Girl project is also advocating for a significant reduction or the scrapping of taxes on sanitary pads.
In a statement signed by the convener for the coalition, Awo Aidam Amenyah, called on religious organisations to support efforts towards meeting the needs of less privileged girls.
Awo Aidam Amenyah, also charged the women caucus in Parliament, calling on their chairperson, Sarah Adjoa Sarfo who also doubles as Deputy Majority Leader to lead the fight against all existing forms of gender inequalities adding that the happy child project is willing to share ideas on addressing gender inequalities.
“We urge the Women’s Caucus in Parliament, through its chairperson Sarah Adjoa Sarfo who doubles as Deputy Majority Leader to facilitate legislation that will seek to check gender inequalities which exist in such unnoticeable forms as identified above. We would not hesitate to share our ideas with them in this regard.”
As part on activities marking the Menstrual Hygiene day, the Happy School Girl project will from Tuesday, May 28th facilitate menstrual hygiene management sessions as well as distribute 1000 packs of sanitary pads to some school girls.
The group also called on the public to be supportive of the happy school girl project.
“The Happy School Girl Project will from Tuesday, May 28, facilitate Menstrual Hygiene Management sessions and distribute some 1000 packs of ‘Be Girl Period Panties’ to school girls in the Constituency. While we acknowledge this gesture, we call on all well-meaning Ghanaians and business organizations to join in our collective efforts to make girls happy in schools.”
Below is their press statement.
As we celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day, we believe its time for action in a number of areas;
That government considers in the coming days, the incorporation of either a free sanitary towel supply or support system as part of the free SHS policy to ensure that girls are not left behind in the attainment of equal access to free and quality education.
A 20% tax regime on sanitary towels and the classification of such a basic need as a luxury product be immediately scrapped or significantly reduced.
That faith-based organizations including churches and mosques will increase their partnership with NGOs to collectively reach out to less-privileged school girls who are being deprived of education simply because of a natural cycle which ushers them into womanhood.
We urge the Women’s Caucus in Parliament, through its chairperson Hon. Sarah Adjoa Sarfo who doubles as Deputy Majority Leader to facilitate legislation that will seek to check gender inequalities which exist in such unnoticeable forms as identified above. We would not hesitate to share our ideas with them in this regard.
It is worth mentioning that under the auspices of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in Kumasi and Minister of Education,
The Happy School Girl Project will from Tuesday, May 28, facilitate Menstrual Hygiene Management sessions and distribute some 1000 packs of ‘Be Girl Period Panties’ to school girls in the Constituency. While we acknowledge this gesture, we call on all well-meaning Ghanaians and business organizations to join in our collective efforts to make girls happy in schools.
SIGNED
Awo Aidam Amenyah
