International Day of the Girl Child

On October 11th, the United Nations will lead the world in a day dedicated to the girl child, and the theme for 2013 will be “Innovating for Girls Education”.

“The fulfilment of girls’ right to education is first and foremost an obligation and moral imperative.” There is overwhelming evidence that educating girls, particularly during their teenage years, is a transformative force in societies around the world – “it is the one consistent positive determinant of practically every desired development outcome, from reductions in mortality and fertility, to poverty reduction and equitable growth, to social norm change and democratization.”

No matter how you look at it, education is the most effective solution. The UN lists multiple tools and steps necessary to advance education amongst girls, such as improving transportation methods to help girls attend school, increasing the use of mobile technology for girls in rural areas, corporate mentorship and the revision of school curriculum to reflect a more positive view on women. The complete list of steps can be read here.

However, we noticed one glaring omission: the UN is not addressing menstruation. 

Menstruation is the number one reason why girls in developing countries miss school. In Kenya, girls will miss up to 20% of the school year because they are unable to attend during her period. Around the world, only 12% of women have access to commercial sanitary products. The need for sanitary products is so great that women and girls will often turn to prostitution to earn the money to purchase pads. In urban slums, schools have no latrines for students to use, and residents must often pay to use the few public latrines.

The UN is right: educating girls at the secondary level is an essential and transformative component in the international development process, and we must ensure that we are removing all barriers. A girl’s body should not be a barrier to educational opportunities, and that is what Femme’s programs are dedicated to.

We believe that if these girls were given the knowledge and tools they need to manage their cycles, school attendance would increase as a natural result. We aren’t just saying this either, our trial projects in Nairobi have proved this. 

Menstruation is one of the root causes of gender disparity, and the faster we break the destructive stigmas and taboos surrounding a woman’s body, the faster we can keep girls in school. To provide girls with the ability to manage their own bodies is to unleash a generation of strong, confident and healthy women.

Read more about the relationship between menstruation and development.