Keeping girls in school through dignity and menstrual health

The wider education situation makes these barriers particularly urgent. According to UNICEF, more than 2.8 million children, representing over 70 per cent of school age children, are out of school in South Sudan. Girls constitute the largest affected group.

A joint statement from UNICEF and UNESCO also reported that 63 per cent of schools in South Sudan were without latrines, while 52 per cent had limited or no access to safe drinking water. These conditions make it particularly difficult for adolescent girls to manage menstruation safely and privately while attending school.

Supporting 100 girls across six schools
As part of our mandate to promote inclusive and equitable education, Help a Child South Sudan, with support from Stichting Pharus, provided dignity kits to 100 schoolgirls across six schools in Aweil Centre Town, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
The dignity kits contained essential menstrual hygiene materials to help the girls manage their periods safely and confidently. This practical assistance enables them to remain in school, participate more comfortably in lessons and focus on their education.

The intervention responds to a wider challenge affecting girls across the region. According to UNICEF, only 12 per cent of schools in sub Saharan Africa provide menstrual materials for free or for purchase. Only 11 per cent have bins for menstrual waste in girls’ toilets. Globally, just 39 per cent of schools provide menstrual health education.
These figures demonstrate that menstrual health cannot be treated as a secondary issue. It is closely connected to girls’ dignity, wellbeing, participation and right to education.

Menstrual health is an education issue
Menstrual health is directly linked to educational access, participation and retention. When a girl misses lessons because she cannot manage her period safely, she loses valuable learning time. When this happens repeatedly, it can affect her performance, confidence and chances of completing school.
Supporting menstrual health is therefore an essential part of advancing girls’ education. It helps ensure that a natural biological process does not determine whether a girl attends class, participates in school activities or achieves her ambitions.

A Shared Responsibility
– Creating supportive school environments for girls requires collective action.
– Schools need clean water, safe and private toilets, appropriate waste disposal facilities and teachers who can provide accurate menstrual health information.
– Families and communities must challenge the stigma and harmful beliefs that cause girls to feel ashamed of menstruation.
– Government institutions, humanitarian organizations and development partners must continue investing in sustainable menstrual health solutions that address both immediate needs and long term barriers.
– Help a Child South Sudan deeply appreciates Stichting Pharus for supporting this intervention and investing in the dignity, wellbeing and education of girls in Aweil Centre Town.
– Providing dignity kits to 100 schoolgirls across six schools is an important contribution. However, continued investment and collaboration are needed to ensure that every girl can manage menstruation safely and continue her education with confidence.
– When girls receive the support they need, they are better able to remain in school, develop their potential and build a brighter future.
– Menstruation should never stand between a girl and her education.

Recommendations
– To sustain the progress made, Help a Child South Sudan recommends continued investment in menstrual health programmes across schools in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. Support should extend beyond the distribution of dignity kits to include regular access to menstrual materials, safe and private sanitation facilities, clean water, appropriate waste disposal systems and accurate menstrual health education.
– Schools should establish confidential support mechanisms that allow girls to access emergency menstrual supplies when needed. Teachers, parents, boys and community leaders should also be engaged in awareness activities to reduce stigma and create a supportive environment for girls.
– Government institutions, schools, humanitarian organizations and development partners are encouraged to strengthen coordination and mobilize resources to expand menstrual health interventions to more schools. Regular monitoring should also be conducted to assess changes in girls’ attendance, classroom participation, confidence and overall wellbeing.
– Sustained action will help ensure that menstruation no longer interrupts learning or prevents girls from completing their education.