Busia: The Kenya Women Senators' Association (KEWOSA) is advocating for the distribution of free sanitary pads in schools by the State to support girls during menstruation. This initiative aims to alleviate the challenges faced by girls from impoverished backgrounds, ensuring their continued education and well-being.
According to Kenya News Agency, during a visit to several schools in Matayos Sub County, Senators, led by nominated Senator Catherine Mumma, emphasized their efforts to push a bill that would categorize sanitary pads as essential items, similar to textbooks, in school budgets. Senator Mumma highlighted the urgency of addressing the triple threat affecting adolescents, which encompasses HIV, teen pregnancies, and gender-based violence.
Senator Mumma expressed concern over the high rates of teen pregnancies in Busia County, with more than 4,400 cases recorded in 2024. She urged both county and national governments to collaborate in addressing these issues, stressing the importance of economic empowerment to combat poverty, a root cause of the problem. She suggested that investment in local industries, such as coffee, could significantly uplift the community's economic status.
Nominated Senator Mirajab Abdillahi echoed the call for immediate intervention, noting the alarming statistics of affected children and the lack of data on prosecuted perpetrators. Abdillahi advocated for stricter law enforcement to ensure perpetrators receive appropriate punishment.
Busia County Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo condemned the rising violence against women, calling for societal and spiritual leader involvement to curb these trends. She criticized the lack of support from the Department of Gender and NGAAF in providing sanitary pads to schools and urged government officials to release allocated funds for this cause.
Jenny Gakii, acting Western Regional Director for Coordination at the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, reinforced the severity of the triple threat as a public health issue. She revealed that over 2,799 adolescents contracted new HIV infections last year and emphasized the need for investment in young people to secure a brighter future. Gakii also highlighted the increased number of defilement cases and the necessity for collective responsibility, starting with parenting, to combat these challenges.