Nanyuki: Stakeholders are concerned about concerning teenage pregnancies in Laikipia County, which are linked to period poverty. Period poverty refers to the inability to afford and access menstrual products, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and education and awareness to manage menstrual health.
According to Kenya News Agency, Binti Mwangaza, a community-based organization in Laikipia, organized a 10-kilometer run in Nanyuki to raise awareness about period poverty among women and girls. Laikipia County Health Chief Officer Dr. Timothy Panga reported that over 6,000 teenagers are responsible for over 20,000 pregnancies annually.
"In Laikipia, 20,000 pregnancies occur annually, with a third, or over 6,000, attributed to teenagers due to harmful cultural practices, lack of menstrual hygiene kits, and school dropout rates," said Dr. Panga. He pointed out that the majority of girls dropped out of school as an alternative to avoiding period poverty stigma.
"Stigma is part of the bigger problem since it affects the majority of our teenage girls and this is associated with period poverty and lack of sanitary products is detrimental to them," noted the Chief Officer. At the same time, Dr. Panga applauded the Binti organization's 10-kilometer run, revealing it was the best way to raise awareness among people on the need to support women and girls in accessing menstrual hygiene products and making them affordable.
The organization, which started in 2012, has since distributed more than 30,000 reusable sanitary pads to more than 5,000 girls in the county, especially in the pastoral areas, where the majority lack access to this crucial menstrual product. "We have to believe in organizations geared to ending period stigma and providing mentorship for girls for sustainable solutions in menstrual hygiene programs," said the Chief Officer.
Binti Mwangaza founder and CEO Ann Muriuki pointed out that access to sanitary pads for girls made it easy for them to stay in the classroom and minimize dropout, calling on partnerships aimed at ensuring more girls were reached in rural areas. Ms. Grace Wangui, one of the 10 km run participants, highlighted that the majority of families were living below a dollar per day, hence exposing young girls to sexual predators as they sought to get sanitary pads. A total of 250 people participated in the run.
Meanwhile, AMREF Health Africa estimates that 65 percent of women and girls can't afford sanitary pads in Kenya, whereas rural Kenyan pad users, who receive them from sexual partners and 1 in 4 girls don't associate menstruation with pregnancy, are at greater risk due to their lack of association.