Free Sanitary Pad Initiative Boosts Girls’ School Attendance — Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang

Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has underscored the critical importance of the government’s Free Sanitary Pad initiative, stating that it is a transformative intervention that is helping to keep girls in school across Ghana while preserving their dignity.

Her remarks came on April 24 during a presentation ceremony in the Upper West Region, where 4,000 sanitary pads were distributed to schoolgirls in selected communities.

The initiative forms part of a broader national effort to address menstrual hygiene challenges that have long hindered girls’ education, particularly in underserved and rural areas.

Addressing stakeholders, educators, and students at the event, the Vice President pointed out that menstrual health issues have historically contributed to absenteeism among schoolgirls, often forcing them to miss valuable instructional time.

“What we saw was that the girls were missing school, not because they didn’t want to come to school, not because there was a problem, but because their natural bodies were behaving the way they are expected to.

“Some of us did not think that that was a good reason why a girl should miss classes. We also saw a connection between that and the reason why the girls were not staying in school and moving up, as we knew they were capable of doing.

“So we thought that if that is the problem, we should find a solution. So if you remember, we proposed the sanitary pads as a solution.”

The free pad programme has been widely regarded as a strategic intervention aimed at bridging gender disparities in education, particularly in regions where access to menstrual hygiene products remains limited.