Always empowers girls to succeed in schools

Procter and Gamble in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published the ninth edition of Puberty Education and Menstrual Hygiene Management, a series of Good Policy and Practice in Health Education.
 

The publication seeks to help provide information for millions of young girls to overcome the stigma and ignorance that is associated with menstrual cycle, empowering them to go through school with self-confidence. 

Puberty, described as a time of change and growth for all young people, is particularly challenging for girls who are confused about the changes in their body, which can become a major obstacle to their education. Many girls are said to be unprepared especially for their first menstrual period, with two out of three girls testifying to having no idea what they were undergoing when they began their menstrual period.

This builds up in later stages and results into negative effects on their physical and emotional development, leading to a drop in self-esteem and poor performance at school. 

“An estimated 50 million girls enter puberty every year. This is a critical life stage where they acquire fundamentals of hygiene management, develop self-esteem, and build up confidence, we believe that no girl should lose confidence because of something that is meant to be a natural stage in life,” says Irene Miheso, Procter and Gamble’s Corporate Communications manager.

According to studies by the Oxford University, apart from the lack to access to proper sanitary material during menstruation often the lack of adequate clean toilet facilities at school, combined with fear and embarrassment further contribute to girls’ disengagement from education at this critical time in their lives. 

She said Procter and Gamble through the Always brand will actively continue to provide puberty education to millions of young people around the world and the partnership with UNESCO will broaden its outreach in making significant difference to lives of young girls.

The publication will serve as an important step in mobilizing the necessary global support for equality between girls and boys in education. Mobilizing educators, policy-makers, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to support puberty education and menstrual hygiene management, as an indispensable element in efforts to achieve gender equality and access to good education for all learners. It also provides clear recommendations on what is required to eliminate the stigma associated with menstruation and offer opportunities to all girls to grow up to become fully empowered women.