In most cultures in the country, menstruating women are perceived to be impure. Is it their fault that they menstruate every month for not less than 30 years of their lives? And is it a sin to menstruate?

Globally, this monthly natural occurrence in females has been shrouded with hundreds of killer myths, societal beliefs and taboos, most of which have naturally impacted negatively on females and society in general. This is the reason why even as a man I am so much interested in menstruation.

The myths

In some parts of Ghana, menstrual blood is perceived to be a bad omen and can even be used for rituals against the menstruating woman. In most cultures in the country, menstruating women are perceived to be impure. They are therefore not allowed to appear in public. They are not allowed to cook.

Another perception is that menstrual blood can weaken both men’s productive and reproductive abilities. It can also contaminate the stream or the surroundings. In some areas, menstruating women have to be isolated and confined. Because of menstruation, women are not supposed to share a bucket with men. Others simply say menstruation is a disease!

A colleague entered a supermarket in Wa to buy a menstrual pad for his daughter. The moment he mentioned ‘pad’ everybody around started laughing. So you see, men are not even supposed to support their menstruating children or wives!

Dire consequences

The consequences of these perceptions can be dire especially on the girl-child! According to a WaterAid study in 2012, between 59 and 90 percent of girls feel shameful about menstruation, and up to 95 percent of them miss school days as a result.

Other studies indicate that menstruating girls can miss up to five school days in each month. Many parents too refuse to sensitise their children to menstruation because of some of these myths.

A UNICEF study in South Asia in 2013 revealed that up to 48 percent of girls had no idea about menstruation until they had their first experience. Since it is perceived to be a personal secret, once a girl is ‘exposed’ she feels so traumatised that she can even become a school dropout.

Demystifying the myths

Thank God the Ghana Education Service (GES) and UNICEF are collaborating through a two-year research (WinS4Girls) project in the North Dayi and Zabzugu Districts to unravel some of these myths in order to minimise the ordeals that school girls in Ghana face because of menstruation.

According to Mr Charles Nachinab of UNICEF, findings from the research will be used to enrich ongoing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools programmes. He says other tools would be developed to advocate for better programming that incorporates Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in the country, hoping that it will help to improve girls’ school attendance and retention.

The study has already yielded some interesting preliminary findings, according to Dr Osman Alhassan of the University of Ghana and a project consultant. Most of the schools in the study districts lack female teachers in whom the girls can easily confide to discuss their menstruation woes for appropriate advice. For instance, there is not a single female teacher in the Kalegu JHS, Kukpaligu JHS, Sabare JHS and Gorkukani JHS, all in the Zabzugu District and the Anfoega Azigbe JHS in the North Dayi District. Other challenges they face include lack of hygienic sanitation and water facilities, long distances from home to school, and name-calling especially from male school mates.

The School Health Education Programme (SHEP) of GES has been promoting MHM through the UNICEF-supported WASH-in-Schools programme over a couple of years now. The programme has even developed minimum standards for water and sanitation facilities in schools. Yet it is the Local Government Authorities who decide whether or not to implement these minimum standards. What is real is that more than 50 percent of basic schools in Ghana lack access to standard water and sanitation facilities.

It is a complete nightmare especially for school girls when toilet and water facilities in their school are inadequate to support them to manage their menstrual period. Society has been so unfair to women and girls. Let us all support this GES/SHEP and UNICEF idea and provide a soothing relief for them.