The Ghana Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has welcomed the government’s initiative to provide free sanitary pads to schoolgirls, emphasizing its potential to improve attendance, academic performance, and the overall well-being of beneficiaries.
However, they have expressed concerns over the exclusion of vulnerable groups such as girls in apprenticeship programs and those who are out of school.
According to the CSOs Platform, ensuring comprehensive support for all girls requires an inclusive strategy that goes beyond formal school settings.
During the 2025 Budget presentation in Parliament on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, announced that the government has allocated GH¢292.4 million for the commencement of the distribution of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary school.
The platform in a statement following the development urged policymakers to expand the initiative to cover marginalized groups, emphasizing that access to menstrual hygiene products is a fundamental necessity for every girl, regardless of their educational status.
“While the initiative is expected to have a positive impact on girls’ school attendance, academic performance, and reduce the risks of school dropout, teenage pregnancy, and sexual and gender-based violence, concerns have been raised about the exclusion of certain groups. Girls in apprenticeship programs and those who are out-of-school are likely to be left out of this initiative. The CSOs Platform emphasizes the need for an efficient strategy to include these groups to ensure comprehensive support for all girls.” the statement read.
Additionally, the platform raised concerns about the inadequate facilities in many schools, noting the lack of proper toilets, reliable water supply, and safe spaces for girls to manage their menstruation.
The lack of infrastructure, they added, exacerbates absenteeism and discomfort among menstruating girls.
“The CSOs Platform calls for the establishment of safe and hygienic facilities, equipped with disposal bins, running water, and private changing areas, to create a supportive learning environment.”
