Focus on lack of info, education

ONGOING menstrual health and hygiene promotion and education is vital to break through cultural barriers and taboos that have negative impact on the wellbeing of women and girls, Unicef Wash officer Issabella Warre says.
“Lack of information and education on menstrual hygiene is affecting many women and most of them need to learn how to manage this, especially in rural areas,” she said.
“Health care facilities and schools play a vital role in carrying out awareness on menstrual hygiene to ensure there is enough exposure to both schoolgirls and boys.”
The European Union-Unicef Wash project continues to promote and address this in 200 schools and 36 healthcare facilities in four pilot project districts in Nawaeb, Morobe; Goroka, Eastern Highlands; Hagen Central, Western Highlands; and, Central Bougainville, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
This is under its Wash in school and Wash in health care facilities component of the EU and Unicef-funded Wash Klinpela Komuniti Project.
Warre said the EU-Unicef Wash project with partners is helping the schools by providing separate toilets with changing rooms for schoolgirls, including incinerators, distribution of re-usable sanitary pads including soaps and buckets.